Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
LOUD — LUCENT
LOUD, a. [L. laudo, to praise, and with a prefix, plaudo. Heb.]
1. Having a great sound; high sounding; noisy; striking the ear with great force; as a loud voice; a loud cry; loud thunder.
2. Uttering or making a great noise; as loud instruments. 2 Chronicles 30:21.
3. Clamorous; noisy.
She is loud and stubborn. Proverbs 7:11.
4. Emphatical; impressive; as a loud call to avoid danger.
LOUDLY, adv.
1. With great sound or noise; noisily.
Who long and loudly in the schools declaimed.
2. Clamorously; with vehement complaints or importunity. He loudly complained of intolerance.
LOUDNESS, n.
1. Great sound or noise; as the loudness of a voice or of thunder.
2. Clamor; clamorousness; turbulence; uproar.
LOUGH, n. lok. a lake; a different orthography of loch and lake.
LOUIS DOR, n. [a Lewis of gold.] A gold coin of France, first struck in 1640, in the reign of Louis XIII., value, twenty shillings sterling, equal to $4,4444.
LOUNGE, v.i. to live in idleness; to spend time lazily.
LOUNGER, n. An idler; one who loiters away his time in indolence.
LOUR. [See Lower.]
LOUSE, n. lous. plu. lice.
A small insect of the genus Pediculus. It has six feet, two eyes, with long feelers and a sting in the mouth. It infests the bodies of men and other animals; but different animals are infested with different species.
LOUSE, v.t. louz. To clean from lice.
LOUSE-WORT, n. lous’-wort. A plant of the genus Pedicularis. The yellow louse-wort is of the genus Rhinanthus.
LOUSILY, adv. s as z. [from lousy.] In a mean, paltry manner; scurvily.
LOUSINESS, n. s as z. The state of abounding with lice.
LOUSY, a. s as z. [louse.]
1. Swarming with lice; infested with lice.
2. Mean; low; contemptible; as a lousy knave.
LOUT, n. A mean awkward fellow; a bumpkin; a clown.
LOUT, v.i. To end; to bow; to stoop. [Obsolete or local.]
LOUTISH, a. Clownish; rude; awkward.
LOUTISHLY, adv. Like a clown; in a rude, clumsy, awkward manner.
LOUVER, n. loo’ver. An opening in the roof of a cottage for the smoke to escape.
LOVABLE, a. Worthy of love; amiable.
LOVAGE, n. A plant of the genus Ligusticum.
LOVE, v.t. luv. [L. libeo, lubeo. See Lief. The sense is probably to be prompt, free, willing, from leaning, advancing, or drawing forward.]
1. In a general sense to be pleased with; to regard with affection, on account of some qualities which excite pleasing sensations or desire of gratification. We love a friend, on account of some qualities which give us pleasure in his society. We love a man who has done us a favor; in which case, gratitude enters into the composition of our affection. We love our parents and our children, on account of their connection with us, and on account of many qualities which please us. We love to retire to a cool shade in summer. We love a warm room in winter. we love to hear an eloquent advocate. The christian loves his Bible. In short, we love whatever gives us pleasure and delight, whether animal or intellectual; and if our hearts are right, we love God above all things, as the sum of all excellence and all the attributes which can communicate happiness to intelligent beings. In other words, the christian loves God with the love of complacency in his attributes, the love of benevolence towards the interest of his kingdom, and the love of gratitude for favors received.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind -
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Matthew 22:39.
2. To have benevolence or good will for. John 3:16.
LOVE, n.
1. An affection of the mind excited by beauty and worth of any kind, or by the qualities of an object which communicate pleasure, sensual or intellectual. It is opposed to hatred. Love between the sexes, is a compound affection, consisting of esteem, benevolence, and animal desire. Love is excited by pleasing qualities of any kind, as by kindness, benevolence, charity, and by the qualities which render social intercourse agreeable. In the latter case, love is ardent friendship, or a strong attachment springing from good will and esteem, and the pleasure derived from the company, civilities and kindness of others.
Between certain natural relatives, love seems to be in some cases instinctive. Such is the love of a mother for her child, which manifests itself toward an infant, before any particular qualities in the child are unfolded. This affection is apparently as strong in irrational animals as in human beings.
We speak of the love of amusements, the love of books, the love of money, and the love of whatever contributes to our pleasure or supposed profit.
The love of God is the first duty of man, and this springs from just views of his attributes or excellencies of character, which afford the highest delight to the sanctified heart. Esteem and reverence constitute ingredients in this affection, and a fear of offending him is its inseparable effect.
2. Courtship; chiefly in the phrase, to make love, that is, to court; to woo; to solicit union in marriage.
3. Patriotism; the attachment one has to his native land; as the love of country.
4. Benevolence; good will.
God is love. 1 John 4:8, 16.
5. The object beloved.
The lover and the love of human kind.
6. A word of endearment.
Trust me, love.
7. Picturesque representation of love.
Such was his form as painters, when they show their utmost art, on naked loves bestow.
8. Lewdness.
He is not lolling on a lewd love-bed.
9. A thin silk stuff. Obs.
Love in idleness, a kind of violet.
Free of love, a plant of the genus Cercis.
LOVEAPPLE, n. A plant of the genus Solanum.
LOVE-BROKER, n. A third person who acts as agent between lovers.
LOVED, pp. Having the affection of any one.
LOVE-DARTING, a. Darting love.
LOVE-DAY, n. A day formerly appointed for an amicable adjustment of differences.
LOVE-FAVOR, n. Something given to be worn in token of love.
LOVE-KNOT, n. luv’-not. A knot so called, used as a token of love or representing mutual affection.
LOVE-LABORED, a. Labored by love.
LOVE-LASS, n. A sweetheart.
LOVELESS, a. Void of love; void of tenderness or kindness.
LOVE-LETTER, n. A letter professing love; a letter of courtship.
LOVELILY, adv. luv’lily. [from lovely.] Amiably; in a manner to excite love.
LOVELINESS, n. luv’liness. [from lovely.]
Amiableness; qualities of body or mind that may excite love.
If there is such a native loveliness in the sex, as to make them victorious when in the wrong, how resistless their power when they are on the side of truth.
LOVE-LOCK, n. A curl or lock of hair so called; worn by men of fashion in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.
LOVE-LORN, a. [love and lorn.] Forsaken by one’s love; as the love-lorn nightingale.
LOVELY, a. luv’ly. Amiable; that may excite love; possessing qualities which may invite affection.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. 2 Samuel 1:23.
LOVE-MONGER, n. [love and monger.] One who deals in affairs of love. [Not used.]
LOVE-PINED, a. Wasted by love.
LOVER, n.
1. One who loves; one who has a tender affection, particularly for a female.
Love is blind, and lovers cannot see -
2. A friend; one who regards with kindness.
Your brother and his lover have embraced.
3. One who likes or is pleased with any thing; as a lover of books or of science; a lover of wine; a lover of religion.
Lover and loover. [See Louver.]
LOVE-SECRET, n. A secret between lovers.
LOVE-SHAFT, n. Cupid’s arrow.
LOVE-SICK, a.
1. Sick or languishing with love or amorous desire; as a love-sick maid.
To the dear mistress of my love-sick mind.
2. Dictated by a languishing lover, or expressive of languishing love.
Where nightingales their love-sick ditty sing.
LOVESOME, a. Lovely. [Not used.]
LOVE-SONG, n. A song expressing love.
LOVE-SUIT, n. Courtship; solicitation of union in marriage.
LOVE-TALE, n. A narrative of love.
Cato’s proper person to entrust a love-tale with.
LOVE-THOUGHT, n. Amorous fancy. [Not used.]
LOVE-TOKEN, n. A present in token of love.
LOVE-TOY, n. A small present from a lover.
LOVE-TRICK, n. Art or artifice expressive of love.
Other love-tricks than glancing with the eyes.
LOVING, ppr.
1. Entertaining a strong affection for; having tender regard for.
2. a. Fond; affectionate; as a loving friend.
3. Expressing love or kindness; as loving words.
LOVING-KINDNESS, n. Tender regard; mercy; favor; a scriptural word.
My loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him. Psalm 89:33.
LOVINGLY, adv. With love; with affection; affectionately.
It is no great matter to live lovingly with meek persons.
LOVINGNESS, n. Affection; kind regard.
The only two bands of good will, loveliness and lovingness.
LOW, a.
1. Not high or elevated; depressed below any given surface or place. Low ground or land, is land below the common level. Low is opposed to high, and both are relative terms. That which is low with respect to one thing, may be high with respect to another. A low house would be a high fence. A low flight for an eagle, would be a high flight for a partridge.
2. Not rising to the usual height; as a man of low stature.
3. Declining near the horizon. The sun is low at four o’clock in winter, and at six in summer.
4. Deep; descending far below the adjacent ground; as a low valley.
The lowest bottom shook of Erebus.
5. Sunk to the natural level of the ocean by the retiring of the tide; as low water.
6. Below the usual rate or amount, or below the ordinary value; as a low price of corn; low wages.
7. Not high or loud; as a low voice.
8. Grave; depressed in the scale of sounds; as a low note.
9. Near or not very distant from the equator; as a low latitude. We say, the low southern latitudes; the high northern latitudes.
10. Late in time; modern as the lower empire.
11. Dejected; depressed in vigor; wanting strength or animation; as low spirits; low in spirits. His courage is low.
12. Depressed in condition; in a humble state.
Why but to keep you low and ignorant?
13. Humble in rank; in a mean condition; as men of high and low condition; the lower walks of life; a low class of people.
14. Mean; abject; groveling; base; as a person of low mind.
15. Dishonorable; mean; as a low trick or stratagem.
16. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted in thought or diction; as a low comparison; a low metaphor; low language.
In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest wits of the heathen world are low and dull.
17. Vulgar; common; as a low education.
18. Submissive; humble; reverent.
And pay their fealty with low subjection.
But first low reverence done.
19. Weak; exhausted of vital energy. His disease has brought him very low.
20. Feeble; weak; without force; as a low pulse.
21. Moderate; not inflammatory; as a low fever.
22. Moderate; not intense; as a low heat; a low temperature.
23. Impoverished; in reduced circumstances. The rich are often reduced to a low condition.
24. Moderate; as a low calculation or estimate.
25. Plain; simple; not rich, high seasoned or nourishing; as a low diet.
LOW, adv.
1. Not aloft; not on high; often in composition; as low-brow’d rocks.
2. Under the usual price; at a moderate price. He sold his wheat low.
3. Near the ground; as, the bird flies very low.
4. In a mean condition; in composition; as a low-born fellow; a low-born lass.
5. In time approaching our own.
In the part of the world which was first inhabited, even as low down as Abraham’s time, they wandered with their flocks and herds.
6. With a depressed voice; not loudly; as, speak low.
7. In a state of subjection, poverty or disgrace; as, to be brought low by oppression, by want or by vice.
LOW, v.t. To sink; to depress. [Not used.]
LOW, v.i. [L. lugeo, to weep, the sense of which is, to cry out.]
To bellow, as an ox or cow.
The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea.
LOWBELL, n.
A kind of fowling in the night, in which the birds are wakened by a bell, and blinded by light, so as to be easily taken.
LOWBELL, v.t. To scare, as with a lowbell.
LOW, LOWE, A termination of names, as in Bed-low.
LOW-BORN, a. Born in low life.
LOW-BRED, a. Bred in a low condition or manner; vulgar.
LOWER, v.t. [from low.]
1. To cause to descend; to let down; to take or bring down; as, to lower the main-sail of a sloop.
2. To suffer to sink downwards.
3. To bring down; to reduce or humble; as, to lower the pride of man.
4. To lessen; to diminish; to reduce, as value or amount; as, to lower the price or value of goods, or the rate of interest.
LOWER, v.i. To fall; to sink; to grow less.
LOWER, v.i.
1. To appear dark or gloomy; to be clouded; to threaten a storm.
And all the clouds that lowered upon your house.
The lowering spring.
2. To frown; to look sullen.
But sullen discontent sat lowering on her face.
LOWER, n.
1. Cloudiness; gloominess.
2. A frowning; sullenness.
LOWER, a. [comp. of low.] Less high or elevated.
LOWERINGLY, adv. with cloudiness or threatening gloom.
LOWERMOST, a. [from low.] Lowest.
LOWERY, a. cloudy; gloomy.
LOWEST, a. [superl. of low.] Most low; deepest; most depressed or degraded, etc.
LOWING, ppr. Bellowing, as an ox.
LOWING, n. the bellowing or cry of cattle.
LOWLAND, n. land which is low with respect to the neighboring country; a low or level country. Thus the Belgic states are called Lowlands. The word is sometimes opposed to a mountainous country; as the Lowlands of Scotland. sometimes it denotes a marsh.
LOWLIHOOD, n. a humble state. Obs.
LOWLINESS, n. [from lowly.]
1. Freedom from pride; humility; humbleness of mind.
Walk - with all lowliness and meekness. Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:3.
2. Meanness; want of dignity; abject state. [In this sense little used.]
LOWLY, a. [low and like.]
1. Having a low esteem of one’s own worth; humble; meek; free from pride.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lovly in heart. Matthew 11:29.
He scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace to the lowly. Proverbs 3:34.
2. Mean; low; wanting dignity or rank.
One common right the great and lowly claim.
3. Not lofty or sublime; humble.
These rural poems, and their lowly strain.
4. Not high; not elevated in place.
LOWLY, adv.
1. Humbly; meekly; modestly.
Belowly wise.
2. Meanly; in a low condition; without grandeur or dignity.
I will show myself highly fed and lowly taught.
LOWN, n. [See Loon. a low fellow; a scoundrel.]
LOWNESS, n.
1. The state of being low or depressed; the state of being less elevated than something else; as the lowness of the ground, or of the water after the ebb-tide.
2. Meanness of condition. Men are not to be despised or oppressed on account of the lowness of their birth or condition.
3. Meanness of mind or character; want of dignity. haughtiness usually springs from lowness of mind; real dignity is distinguished by modesty.
4. Want of sublimity in style or sentiment; the contrary to loftiness.
5. Submissiveness; as the lowness of obedience.
6. Depression of mind; want of courage or fortitude; dejection; as lowness of spirits.
7. Depression in fortune; a state of poverty; as the lowness of circumstances.
8. Depression in strength or intensity; as the lowness of heat or temperature; lowness of zeal.
9. Depression in price or worth; as the lowness of price or value; the lowness of the funds or of the markets.
10. Graveness of sound; as the lowness of notes.
11. Softness of sound; as the lowness of the voice.
LOW-SPIRITED, a. Not having animation and courage; dejected; depressed; not lively or sprightly. Losses of property often render men low-spirited. Excessive severity breaks the mind, and renders the child or pupil low-spirited.
LOW-SPIRITEDNESS, n. Dejection of mind or courage; a state of low spirits.
LOW-THOUGHTED, a. Having the thoughts employed on low subjects; not having sublime and elevated thoughts or contemplations; mean of sentiment; as low-thoughted care.
LOW-WINES, n. [low and wine.] The liquor produced by the first distillation of molasses, or fermented liquors; the first run of the still.
LOXODROMIC, a. [Gr. oblique, and a course.]
Pertaining to oblique sailing by the rhomb; as loxodromic tables.
LOXODROMICS, n. The art of oblique sailing by the rhomb, which always makes an equal angle with every meridian; that is, when a ship sails neither directly under the equator, nor under the same meridian, but obliquely.
LOYAL, a. [L. lex, law.]
Faithful to a prince or superior; true to plighted faith, duty or love; not treacherous; used of subjects to their prince, and of husband, wife and lovers; as a loyal subject; a loyal wife.
There Laodamia with Evadne moves, unhappy both! but loyal in their loves.
LOYALIST, n. A person who adheres to his sovereign; particularly, one who maintains his allegiance to his prince, and defends his cause in times of revolt or revolution.
LOYALLY, adv. With fidelity to a prince or sovereign, or to a husband or lover.
LOYALTY, n. Fidelity to a prince or sovereign, or to a husband or lover.
He had such loyalty to the king as the law requires.
LOZENGE, n. [Gr. oblique, and a corner.]
1. Originally, a figure with four equal sides, having two acute and two obtuse angles; a rhomb.
2. In heraldry, a four-cornered figure, resembling a pane of glass in old casements.
3. Among jewelers, lozenges are common to brilliants and rose diamonds. In brilliants, they are formed by the meeting of the skill and the star facets on the bezil; in the latter, by the meeting of the facets in the horizontal ribs of the crown.
4. A form of medicine in small pieces, to be chewed or held in the mouth till melted.
5. In confectionary, a small cake of preserved fruit, or of sugar, etc.
LOZENGED, a. Made into the shape of lozenges.
LOZENGY, a. In heraldry, having the field or charge covered with lozenges.
LP, a contraction of lordship.
LU. [See Loo.]
LUBBARD. [Not used. See Lubber.]
LUBBER, n.
A heavy, clumsy fellow; a sturdy drone; a clown.
And lingering lubbers lose many a penny.
LUBBERLY, a. Properly, tall and lank without activity; hence, bulky and heavy; clumsy; lazy; as a lubberly fellow or boy.
LUBBERLY, adv. Clumsily; awkwardly.
LUBRIC, a. [L. lubricus, slippery.]
1. Having a smooth surface; slippery; as a lubric throat.
2. Wavering; unsteady; as the lubric waves of state.
3. Lascivious; wanton; lewd.
This lubric and adulterate age.
[This word is now little used.]
LUBRICANT, n. [See Lubricate.] That which lubricates.
LUBRICATE, v.t. [L. lubrico, from lubricus, slippery; allied to labor, to slip or slide.]
To make smooth or slippery. Mucilaginous and saponaceous medicines lubricate the parts to which they are applied.
LUBRICATED, pp. Made smooth and slippery.
LUBRICATING, ppr. Rendering smooth and slippery.
LUBRICATOR, n. That which lubricates.
LUBRICTIY, n.
1. Smoothness of surface; slipperiness.
2. Smoothness; aptness to glide over any thing, or to facilitate the motion of bodies in contact by diminishing friction.
3. Slipperiness; instability; as the lubricity of fortune.
4. Lasciviousness; propensity to lewdness; lewdness; lechery; incontinency.
LUBRICOUS, a. [L. lubricus.]
1. Smooth; slippery.
2. Wavering; unstable; as lubricous opinions.
LUBRIFACTION, n. [infra.] The act of lubricating or making smooth.
LUBRIFICATION, n. [L. lubricus and facio, to make.]
The act or operation of making smooth and slippery.
LUCE, n. A pike full grown.
LUCENT, a. [L. lucens, from luceo, to shine. See Light.]
Shining; bright; resplendent; as the sun’s lucent orb.