Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

LION-METTLED — LITHOPHYTIC

LION-METTLED, a. Having the courage and spirit of a lion.

LION’S FOOT, n. A plant of the genus Catananche.

LION’S LEAF, n. A plant of the genus Leontice.

LION’S TAIL, n. A plant of the genus Leonurus.

LIP, n. [L. labium, labrum.]

1. The edge or border of the mouth. The lips are two fleshy or muscular parts, composing the exterior of the mouth in man and many other animals. In man, the lips, which may be opened or closed at pleasure, form the covering of the teeth, and are organs of speech essential to certain articulations. Hence the lips, by a figure, denote the mouth, or all the organs of speech, and sometimes speech itself. Job 2:10.

2. The edge of any thing; as the lip of a vessel.

3. In botany, one of the two opposite divisions of a labiate corol. The upper is called the helmet, and the lower the beard. Also, an appendage to the flowers of the orchises, considered by Linne as a nectary.

To make a lip, to drop the under lip in sullenness or contempt.

LIP, v.t. To kiss.

LIP-DEVOTION, n. Prayers uttered by the lips without the desires of the heart.

LIP-GOOD, a. Good in profession only.

LIPLABOR, n. Labor or action of the lips without concurrence of the mind; words without sentiments.

LIPOGRAM, n. [Gr. to leave, and a letter.]

A writing in which a single letter is wholly omitted.

LIPOGRAMMATIST, n. One who writes any thing, dropping a single letter.

LIPOTHYMOUS, a. [See Lipothymy.] Swooning; fainting.

LIPOTHYMY, n. [Gr. to fail, and soul.]

A fainting; a swoon.

LIPPED, a.

1. Having lips.

2. In botany, labiate.

LIPPITUDE, n. [L. lippitudo, from lippus, blear-eyed.]

Soreness of eyes; blearedness.

LIPWISDOM, n. Wisdom in talk without practice; wisdom in words not supported by experience.

LIQUABLE, a. [See Liquate.] That may be melted.

LIQUATION, n. [L. liquatio. See Liquate.]

1. The act or operation of melting.

2. The capacity of being melted; as a substance congealed beyond liquation.

LIQUATE, v.i. [L. liquo.] To melt; to liquefy; to be dissolved. [Little used.]

LIQUEFACTION, n. [L. liquefactio, from liquefacio.]

1. The act or operation of melting or dissolving; the conversion of a solid into a liquid by the sole agency of heat or caloric. Liquefaction, in common usage, signifies the melting of any substance, but by some authors it is applied to the melting of substances, which pass through intermediate states of softness before they become fluid, as tallow, was, resin, etc.

2. The state of being melted.

LIQUEFIABLE, a. That may be melted, or changed from a solid to a liquid state.

LIQUEFIER, n. That which melts any solid substance.

LIQUEFY, v.t. [L. liquefacio. See Liquid.]

To melt; to dissolve; to convert from a fixed or solid form to that of a liquid, and technically, to melt by the sole agency of heat or caloric.

LIQUEFY, v.i. To be melted; to become liquid.

LIQUEFYING, ppr. Melting; becoming liquid.

LIQUESCENCY, n. [L. liquescentia.] Aptness to melt.

LIQUESCENT, a. Melting; becoming fluid.

LIQUEUR, n. A spirituous cordial.

LIQUID, a. [L. liquidus, from liquo, to melt; lix and lug.]

1. Fluid; flowing or capable of flowing; not fixed or solid. But liquid is not precisely synonymous with fluid. Mercury and air are fluid, but not liquid.

2. Soft; clear; flowing; smooth; as liquid melody.

3. Pronounced without any jar; smooth; as a liquid letter.

4. Dissolved; not obtainable by law; as a liquid debt. Obs.

LIQUID, n.

1. A fluid or flowing substance; a substance whose parts change their relative position on the slightest pressure, and which flows on an inclined plane; as water, wine, milk, etc.

2. In grammar, a letter which has a smooth flowing sound, or which flows smoothly after a mute; as l and r, in bla, bra. M and n are also called liquids.

LIQUIDATE, v.t. [L. liquido.]

1. To clear from all obscurity.

Time only can liquidate the meaning of all parts of a compound system.

2. To settle; to adjust; to ascertain or reduce to precision in amount.

Which method of liquidating the amercement to a precise sum, was usually performed in the superior courts.

The clerk of the commons’ house of assembly in 1774, gave certificates to the public creditors that their demands were liquidated, and should be provided for in the next tax bill.

The domestic debt may be subdivided into liquidated and unliquidated.

3. To pay; to settle, adjust and satisfy; as a debt.

Kyburgh was ceded to Zuric by Sigismond, to liquidate a debt of a thousand florins.

LIQUIDATED, pp. Settled; adjusted; reduced to certainty; paid.

LIQUIDATING, ppr. Adjusting; ascertaining; paying.

LIQUIDATION, n. The act of settling and adjusting debts, or ascertaining their amount or balance due.

LIQUIDATOR, n. He or that which liquidates or settles.

LIQUIDITY, n.

1. The quality of being fluid or liquid.

2. Thinness.

LIQUIDNESS, n. The quality of being liquid; fluency.

LIQUOR, n. lik’or [L. liquor.]

A liquid or fluid substance. [See Liquid.] Liquor is a word of general signification, extending to water, milk, blood, say, juice, etc.; but its most common application is to spirituous fluids, whether distilled or fermented, to decoctions, solutions, tinctures.

LIQUOR, v.t. To moisten; to drench. [Little used.]

LIQUORICE. [See Licorice.]

LISBON, n. A species of wine exported from Lisbon, in Portugal.

LISNE, n. A cavity or hollow. [Not in use.]

LISP, v.i.

To speak with a particular articulation of the tongue and teeth, nearly as in pronouncing th. Lisping is particularly noticed in uttering th for s, as yeth for yes. It is most common in children.

I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came.

LISP, v.t. To pronounce with a lisp; as, she lisped a few words.

LISP, n. The act of lisping, as in uttering an aspirated th for s.

LISPER, n. One that lisps.

LISPING, ppr. Uttering with a lisp.

LISPINGLY, adv. With a lisp.

LIST, n. [L. licium.]

1. In commerce, the border, edge or selvage of cloth; a strip of cloth forming the border, particularly of broadcloth, and serving to strengthen it.

2. A line inclosing or forming the extremity of a piece of ground, or field of combat; hence, the ground or field inclosed for a race or combat. Hence, to enter the lists, is to accept a challenge or engage in contest. Hence,

3. A limit or boundary; a border.

4. In architecture, a little square molding; a fillet; called also a listel.

5. A roll or catalogue, that is, a row or line; as a list of names; a list of books; a list of articles; a list of ratable estate.

6. A strip of cloth; a fillet.

Civil list, in Great Britain and the United States, the civil officers of government, as judges, embassadors, secretaries, etc. Hence it is used for the revenues or appropriations of public money for the support of the civil officers.

LIST, v.t. [from list, a roll.]

1. To enroll; to register in a list or catalogue; to enlist. The latter is the more elegant word. Hence,

2. To engage in the public service, as soldiers.

They in my name are listed.

3. To inclose for combat; as, to list a field.

4. To sew together, as strips of cloth; or to form a border.

5. To cover with a list, or with strips of cloth; as, to list a door.

6. To hearken; to attend; a contraction of listen, which see.

LIST, v.i. To engage in public service by enrolling one’s name; to enlist. [The latter is the more elegant word. See Enlist.]

LIST, v.i. [See the noun.]

Properly, to lean or incline; to be propense; hence, to desire or choose.

Let other men think of your devices as they list.

The wind bloweth where it listeth. John 3:8.

LIST, n. In the language of seamen, an inclination to one side. The ship has a list to port.

LISTED, pp.

1. Striped; particolored in stripes.

2. Covered with list.

3. Inclosed for combat.

4. Engaged in public service; enrolled.

LISTEL, n. A list in architecture; a fillet.

LISTEN, v.i. lis’n.

1. To hearken; to give ear; to attend closely with a view to hear.

On the green bank I sat, and listened long.

2. To obey; to yield to advice; to follow admonition.

LISTEN, v.t. lis’n. To hear; to attend.

LISTENER, n. One who listens; a hearkener.

LISTER, n. One who makes a list or roll.

LISTFUL, a. Attentive. Obs.

LISTING, ppr. Inclosing for combat; covering with list; enlisting.

LISTLESS, a. Not listening; not attending; indifferent to what is passing; heedless; inattentive; thoughtless; careless; as a listless hearer or spectator.

LISTLESSLY, adv. Without attention; heedlessly.

LISTLESSNESS, n. Inattention; heedlessness; indifference to what is passing and may be interesting.

LIT, pret. of light. The bird lit on a tree before me.

I lit my pipe with the paper.

[This word, though used by some good writers, is very inelegant.]

LITANY, n. [Gr. supplication, to pray.]

A solemn form of supplication, used in public worship.

Supplications for the appeasing of God’s wrath, were by the Greek church termed litanies, by the Latin, rogations.

LITE, a. Little. [Not in use.]

LITER, n. [Gr.] A French measure of capacity, being a cubic decimeter, containing, according to Lunier, about a pint and a half old French measure. The liter is equal to 60.02800 cubic inches, or nearly 2 1/8 wine pints.

LITERAL, a. [L. litera, a letter.]

1. According to the letter; primitive; real; not figurative or metaphorical; as the literal meaning of a phrase.

2. Following the letter or exact words; not free; as a literal translation.

3. Consisting of letters.

The literal notation of numbers was known to Europeans before the ciphers.

LITERAL, n. Literal meaning. [Not used.]

LITERALISM, n. That which accords with the letter.

LITERALITY, n. Original or literal meaning.

LITERALLY, adv.

1. According to the primary and natural import of words; not figuratively. A man and his wife cannot be literally one flesh.

2. With close adherence to words; word by word.

So wild and ungovernable a poet cannot be translated literally.

LITERARY, a. [L. literarius.]

1. Pertaining to letters or literature; respecting learning or learned men; as a literary history; literary conversation.

2. Derived from erudition; as literary fame.

3. Furnished with erudition; versed in letters; as a literary man.

4. Consisting in letters, or written or printed compositions; as literary property.

LITERATE, a. [L. literatus.] Learned; lettered; instructed in learning and science.

LITERATI, n. plu. [L. literatus.] The learned; men of erudition.

LITERATOR, n. [L.] A petty schoolmaster.

LITERATURE, n. [L. literatura.] Learning; acquaintance with letters or books. Literature comprehends a knowledge of the ancient languages, denominated classical, history, grammar, rhetoric, logic, geography, etc. as well as of the sciences. A knowledge of the world and good breeding give luster to literature.

LITH, n. A joint or limb. Obs.

LITHANTHRAX, n. [Gr. a stone, and a coal.]

Stone-coal, a black, compact, brittle, inflammable substance, of laminated texture, more or less shining.

LITHARGE, n. [L. lithargyros, Gr. the spume or scum of silver.]

A semi-vitreous oxyd of lead, produced in refining silver by cupellation with lead. It appears in the form of soft flakes, or semi-transparent shining plates.

LITHE, a. That may be easily bent; pliant; flexible; limber; as the elephant’s lithe proboscis.

LITHE, v.t.

1. To smooth; to soften; to palliate. Obs.

2. To listen. Obs.

LITHENESS, n. Flexibility; limberness.

LITHER, a.

1. Soft; pliant. Obs.

2. Bad; corrupt. Obs.

LITHERLY, adv. Slowly; lazily. Obs.

LITHERNESS, n. Idleness; laziness. Obs.

LITHIA, n. A new alkali, found in a mineral called petalite, of which the basis is a metal called lithium.

LITHIATE, n. [Gr. a stone.] A salt or compound formed by the lithic acid combined with a base.

LITHIC, a. [supra.] Pertaining to the stone in the bladder. The lithic acid is obtained from a calculus in the bladder.

LITHOBIBLION. [See Lithophyl.]

LITHOCARP, n. [Gr. a stone, and fruit.] Fossil fruit; fruit petrified.

LITHOCOLLA, n. [Gr. a stone, and glue.] A cement that unites stones.

LITHODENDRON, n. [Gr. stone, and tree.] Coral; so called from its resembling a petrified branch.

LITHOGENESY, n. [Gr. stone, and generation.]

The doctrine or science of the origin of minerals composing the globe, and of the causes which have produced their form and disposition.

LITHOGLYPHITE, n. [Gr. stone, and to engrave.]

A fossil that presents the appearance of being engraved or shaped by art.

LITHOGRAPHER, n. [See Lithography.] One who practices lithography.

LITHOGRAPHIC, LITHOGRAPHICAL, a. Pertaining to lithography.

LITHOGRAPHICALLY, adv. By the lithographic art.

LITHOGRAPHY, n. [Gr. stone, and to engrave or write.]

The art of engraving, or of tracing letters, figures or other designs on stone, and of transferring them to paper by impression; an art recently invented by Mr. Sennefelder of Munich, in Bavaria.

LITHOLOGIC, LITHOLOGICAL, a. [See Lithology.]

Pertaining to the science of stones.

LITHOLOGIST, n. A person skilled in the science of stones.

LITHOLOGY, n. [Gr. stone, and discourse.]

1. The science or natural history of stones.

2. A treatise on stones found in the body.

LITHOMANCY, n. [Gr. stone, and divination.]

Divination or prediction of events by means of stones.

LITHOMARGA, LITHOMARGE, n. [Gr. stone, and L. marga, marl.]

An earth of two species, friable and indurated, more siliceous than aluminous, distinguished by its great fineness and its fusibility into a soft slag.

LITHONTRIPTIC, a. [Gr. stone, and to wear or break.]

Having the quality of dissolving the stone in the bladder or kidneys.

LITHONTRIPTIC, n. A medicine which has the power of dissolving the stone in the bladder or kidneys; a solvent of stone in the human urinary passage.

LITHONTRIPTOR, LITHOTRITOR, n. An instrument for triturating the stone in the bladder, so that it may be extracted without cutting; recently invented by Dr. Civiale.

LITHONTRIPTY, LITHOTRITY, n. The operation of triturating the stone in the bladder, by means of an instrument called lithotritor.

LITHOPHAGOUS, a. [Gr. stone, and to eat.]

Eating or swallowing stones or gravel, as the ostrich.

LITHOPHOSPHOR, n. [Gr. stone.]

LITHOPHOSPHORIC, a. Pertaining to lithophosphor; becoming phosphoric by heat.

LITHOPHYL, n. [Gr. stone, and a leaf.]

Bibliolite or lithobiblion, fossil leaves, or the figures of leaves on fossils.

LITHOPHYTE, n. [Gr. stone, and a plant; literally, stone-plant.]

Stone-coral; a name given to those species of polypiers, whose substance is stony. The older naturalists classed them with vegetables.

LITHOPHYTIC, a. Pertaining to lithophytes.