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; slender; scant; barren; bare; mean; -- used literally and figuratively; as, the lean harvest; a lean purse; a lean discourse; lean wages. "No lean wardrobe." Shak. Their lean and fiashy songs. Milton. What the land is, whether it be fat or lean. Num. xiii. 20. Out of my lean and low ability I'll lend you something. S…

To gain knowledge or information of; to ascertain by inquiry, study, or investigation; to receive instruction concerning; to fix in the mind; to acquire understanding of, or skill; as, to learn the way; to learn a lesson; to learn dancing; to learn to skate; to learn the violin; to learn the truth about something. "Lea…

To gather what harvesters have left behind; to glean. [Obs.] Dryden.

An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See.

The body of persons in a state or kingdom invested with power to make and repeal laws; a legislative body. Without the concurrent consent of all three parts of the legislature, no law is, or can be, made. Sir M. Hale.

six-legged young, or larva, of certain mites; -- sometimes used as a generic name. See Harvest mite, under Harvest.

To invest with the dignity, power, and privileges of a lord. [R.] Shak.

man and other mammals; as, the head louse of man (Pediculus capitis), the body louse (P. vestimenti), and the crab louse (Phthirius pubis), and many others. See Crab louse, Dog louse, Cattle louse, etc., under Crab, Dog, etc.

Full of love. [Obs.] Sylvester.

A person clothed with power as a public civil officer; a public civil officer invested with the executive government, or some branch of it. "All Christian rulers and magistrates." Book of Com. Prayer. Of magistrates some also are supreme, in whom the sovereign power of the state resides; others are subordinate. Blackst…

Important; necessary. [Obs.] That which thou aright Believest so main to our success, I bring. Milton. By main force, by mere force or sheer force; by violent effort; as, to subdue insurrection by main force. That Maine which by main force Warwick did win. Shak. -- By main strength, by sheer strength; as, to lift a hea…

lly, a napkin; later, an ornamental band or scarf worn upon the left arm as a part of the vestments of a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. It is sometimes worn in the English Church service.

A silk or woolen vestment without sleeves worn by cardinals, bishops, abbots, and the prelates of the Roman court. It has a low collar, is fastened in front, and reaches almost to the knees.

Badge or sign of honor, rank, or official station. In the official marks invested, you Anon do meet the Senate. Shak.

To invest wich material characteristics; to make perceptible to the senses; hence, to present to the mind through the medium of material objects. Having wich wonderful art and beauty materialized, if I may so call it, a scheme of abstracted notions, and clothed the most nice, refined conceptions of philosophy in sensib…

An account of something deemed noteworthy; an essay; a record of investigations of any subject; the journals and proceedings of a society.

The use of the microscope; investigation with the microscope.

The art of using the microtome; investigation carried on with the microtome.

Full of milk; abounding with food. [R.] "Milkful vales." Sylvester.

steemed and favored; -- in a good sense. [Obs.] God's disciple and his dearest minion. Sylvester. Is this the Athenian minion whom the world Voiced so regardfully Shak.