_lens_, _lentis_, the lentil.]
LENT, lent, _n._ an annual fast of forty days in commemoration of the fast of our Saviour (Matt. iv. 2), from Ash-Wednesday to Easter.--_adj._ LENT'EN, relating to, or used in, Lent: sparing.--_n._ LENT'-LIL'Y, the daffodil, as flowering in Lent. [A.S. _lencten_, the spring; Dut. _lente_, Ger. _lenz_.]
LENTAMENTE, len-ta-men'te, _adv._ (_mus._) slowly, in slow time.--_advs._ LENTAN'DO, becoming slower by degrees; LEN'TO, slow, slowly. [It.]
LENTICULAR, len-tik'[=u]-lar, _adj._ resembling a lens or lentil seed: double-convex--also LEN'TIFORM.--_n._ LEN'TICEL (_bot._), a loose, lens-shaped mass of cells belonging to the corky layer or periderm of plants.--_adj._ LENTICEL'LATE.--_n._ LENTIC'ULA, a small lens: a lenticel: a freckle--also LEN'TICULE.--_adv._ LENTIC'ULARLY.--_adjs._ LENTIG'EROUS, having a crystalline lens; LEN'TOID, lens-shaped. [L.
_lenticularis_--_lenticula_, dim. of _lens_, a lentil.]
LENTIGO, len-t[=i]'g[=o], _n._ a freckle.--_adjs._ LENTIG'INOSE, LENTIG'INOUS (_bot._), covered with minute dots as if dusted. [L.]
LENTIL, len'til, _n._ an annual plant, common near the Mediterranean, bearing pulse used for food. [O. Fr. _lentille_--L. _lens_, _lentis_, the lentil.]
LENTISK, len'tisk, _n._ the mastic-tree. [L. _lentiscus_.]
LENTOR, len'tor, _n._ tenacity, viscidity.--_adj._ LEN'TOUS. [L. _lentus_, slow.]
LENVOY, len-voi', _n._ a kind of postscript appended to a literary composition: an envoy. [O. Fr. _l'envoi_.]
LEO, l[=e]'[=o], _n._ the Lion, the 5th sign of the zodiac.
LEONINE, l[=e]'o-n[=i]n, _adj._ of or like a lion.
LEONINE, l[=e]'o-n[=i]n, _adj._ a kind of Latin verse, generally alternate hexameter and pentameter, rhyming at the middle and end. [From _Leoninus_, a 12th-cent. canon in Paris; or from Pope _Leo_ II.]
LEOPARD, lep'ard, _n._ an animal of the cat kind, with a spotted skin, now generally supposed to be identical with the panther:--_fem._ LEOP'ARDESS: (_her._) a lion passant gardant. [O. Fr.,--L.,--Gr. _leopardos_--_le[=o]n_, lion, _pardos_, pard.]
LEPER, lep'[.e]r, _n._ one affected with leprosy.--_adjs._ LEP'EROUS (_Shak._), LEP'ROUS. [Fr.,--L.,--Gr. _lepra_--_lepros_, scaly--_lepos_, a scale--_lepein_, to peel off.]
LEPID, lep'id, _adj._ pleasant, jocose. [L. _lepidus_.]
LEPIDODENDRON, lep-i-do-den'dron, _n._ a common fossil plant of the Carboniferous strata, the stem covered with ovate leaf-scars arranged spirally. [Gr. _lepis_, -_idos_, a scale, _dendron_, a tree.]
LEPIDOPTERA, lep-i-dop't[.e]r-a, _n.pl._ an order of insects, with four wings covered with fine scales--butterfly, moth, &c.--_adjs._ LEPIDOP'TERAL, LEPIDOP'TEROUS. [Gr. _lepis_, -_idos_, a scale, _pteron_, a wing.]
LEPIDOSAURIA, lep-i-do-sawr'i-a, _n._ a sub-class or sub-order of Reptilia, with scales and plates--the ophidians and lacertilians, not crocodilians and chelonians. [Gr. _lepis_, a scale, _sauros_, a lizard.]
LEPIDOSIREN, lep-i-do-s[=i]'ren, _n._ one of the Amazon mud-fishes or Dipnoi. [Gr. _lepis_, a scale, Eng. _siren_.]
LEPIDOSTEUS, lep-i-dos'te-us, _n._ a genus of fishes with rhomboid scales hard like bone. [Gr. _lepis_, -_idos_, a scale, _osteon_, a bone.]
LEPORINE, lep'o-r[=i]n, _adj._ pertaining to or resembling the hare. [L.
_leporinus_--_lepus_, _lep[)o]ris_, the hare.]
LEPPED, lep'd, _pa.t._ (_Spens._) leaped.
LEPRECHAUN, LEPRECHAWN, lep'r[=e]-kawn, _n._ a small-sized brownie who helps Irish housewives, mends shoes, grinds meal, &c. [Ir. _luchorpan_, _lu_, small, _corpan_, _corp_, a body--L. _corpus_.]
LEPROSY, lep'ro-si, _n._ a name applied to several different cutaneous diseases of contagious character, now confined to _lepra cutanea_, _elephantiasis_, _Graecorum_, or _Leontiasis_.--_n._ LEP'RA, leprosy: a scurfy, mealy substance on the surface of some plants.--_adjs._ LEP'ROSE, scale-like or scurf-like; LEP'ROUS, affected with leprosy.--_adv._ LEP'ROUSLY.--_ns._ LEP'ROUSNESS, LEPROS'ITY. [See LEPER.]
LEPTOCARDIAN, lep-to-kar'di-an, _adj._ pertaining to the _Leptocardii_, the lowest group of true vertebrates, the lancelets.--_n._ a lancelet, branchiostome, or amphioxus. [Gr. _leptos_, thin, _kardia_, heart.]
LEPTOCEPHALIC, lep-to-se-fal'ik, _adj._ having a narrow skull, as in certain flat-fishes. [Gr. _leptos_, thin, _kephal[=e]_, the head.]
LEPTODACTYL, lep-to-dak'til, _adj._ having small or slender toes. [Gr.
_leptos_, thin, _daktylos_, a finger.]
LEPTOLOGY, lep-tol'o-ji, _n._ minute description. [Gr. _leptos_, thin, _logia_--_legein_, to speak.]
LEPTON, lep'ton, _n._ the smallest of modern Greek coins, 100 to the drachma. [Gr.,--_leptos_, small.]
LEPTORRHINE, lep't[=o]-rin, _adj._ with small nose or slender snout. [Gr.
_leptos_, thin, _hris_, _hrinos_, nose.]
LEPTOSPERMUM, lep-to-sper'mum, _n._ a genus of Australian trees and shrubs, evergreens, with leaves like those of myrtles--the tea-tree, &c. [Gr.
_leptos_, thin, _sperma_, seed.]
LERE, l[=e]r, _n._ (_Spens._) learning a lesson.--_v.t._ to learn: to teach. [_Learn._]
LESBIAN, les'bi-an, _adj._ pertaining to the island of _Lesbos_ in the aegean Sea, and the adjoining part of the coast of Asia Minor, together forming aeolis, the home of a famous school of lyric poets, including Alcaeus and Sappho: amatory, erotic.
LESE-MAJESTIE, l[=e]z'-maj'es-ti, _n._ any crime committed against the sovereign power in a state, treason.--Also LEZE'-MAJ'ESTY. [O. Fr.,--Low L.
_laesa majestas_--L. _laesa_--_laed[)e]re_, to hurt, _majestas_, majesty.]
LESION, l[=e]'zhun, _n._ a hurt: (_med._) an injury or wound. [Fr.,--L.
_laesion-em_--_laed[)e]re_, _laesum_, to hurt.]
LESS, les, _adj._ (serves as comp. of _little_) diminished: smaller.--_adv._ not so much: in a lower degree.--_n._ a smaller portion: (_B._) the inferior or younger. [A.S. _l['ae]ssa_, less, _l['ae]s_ (adv.); comparative form from a root _lasinn_, feeble, found also in Goth.
_lasiws_, weak, Ice. _las_, weakness, not conn. with _little_.]
LESSEE, les-s[=e]', _n._ one to whom a lease is granted.
LESSEN, les'n, _v.t._ to make less, in any sense: to weaken: to degrade.--_v.i._ to become less, shrink.
LESSER, les'[.e]r, _adj._ (_B._) less: smaller: inferior. [A double comp.
formed from _less_.]
LESSON, les'n, _n._ a portion of Scripture appointed to be read in divine service: that which a pupil learns at a time: a precept or doctrine inculcated: instruction derived from experience: severe lecture.--_v.t._ to give a lesson to. [Fr. _lecon_--L. _lection-em_--_leg[)e]re_, to read.]
LESSOR, les'or, _n._ one who grants a lease.
LEST, lest, _conj._ that not: for fear that. [From the A.S. phrase _ laes e_ (for the reason less that=L. _quominus_), the first word being dropped, while the others coalesced into _lest_.]
LEST, lest, _v.i._ (_Spens._) to listen.
LET, let, _v.t._ to slacken or loose restraint upon: to give leave or power to: to allow, permit, suffer: to grant to a tenant or hirer: to cause (with infin. without _to_):--_pr.p._ let'ting; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ let.--_n._ a letting for hire.--_ns._ LET'TER; LET'TING.--LET ALONE, to leave out, not to mention.--_adj._ passive, inactive--also _n._ (_Shak._) forbearance.--LET BLOOD, to open a vein and let the blood run out; LET DOWN, to allow to fall: to bring down; LET GO, to cease holding: to pass by or disregard; LET IN, to allow to enter: to take in or swindle; LET INTO, to admit to the knowledge of; LET OFF, to allow to go free without punishment, to excuse from payment, &c.; LET ON, to allow a thing to be believed, to pretend; LET ONE'S SELF LOOSE, to let go restraint on words or actions, to indulge in extravagant talk or conduct; LET OUT, to allow to get free, to let some secret become known; LET SLIP, to allow to escape: to lose sight of; LET WELL ALONE, to let things remain as they are from fear of making them worse. [A.S. _l['ae]tan_, to permit, pt.t. _let_, _leot_, pp.
_laeten_; Ger. _lassen_, Fr. _laisser_, to permit.]
LET, let, _v.t._ (_B._) to prevent.--_n._ (_law_) hinderance, obstruction: delay.--_n._ LET'TER. [A.S. _lettan_, to hinder--_laet_, slow.]