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her lap her laureate son reclines. Pope. Poet laureate. (b) One who received an honorable degree in grammar, including poetry and rhetoric, at the English universities; -- so called as being presented with a wreath of laurel. [Obs.] (b) Formerly, an officer of the king's household, whose business was to compose an ode…

The act of crowning with laurel; the act of conferring an academic degree, or honorary title.

eaping, or the space passed by leaping; a jump; a spring; a bound. Wickedness comes on by degrees, . . . and sudden leaps from one extreme to another are unnatural. L'Estrange. Changes of tone may proceed either by leaps or glides. H. Sweet.

Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least space.

A man given to lewdness; one addicted, in an excessive degree, to the indulgence of sexual desire, or to illicit commerce with women.

Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or loud; less beautiful.

An approximately horizontal line or surface at a certain degree of altitude, or distance from the center of the earth; as, to climb from the level of the coast to the l of the plateau and then descent to the level of the valley or of the sea. After draining of the level in Northamptonshire. Sir M. Hale. Shot from the d…

aining to, or designating, the law contained in the book of Leviticus. Ayliffe. Levitical degrees, degrees of relationship named in Leviticus, within which marriage is forbidden.

On the continent of Europe, a university degree intermediate between that of bachelor and that of doctor.

A rise; a degree of elevation; as, the lift of a lock in canals.

To come by chance; to happen; -- with on or upon; formerly with into. The several degrees of vision, which the assistance of glasses (casually at first lit on) has taught us to conceive. Locke. They shall light into atheistical company. South. And here we lit on Aunt Elizabeth, And Lilia with the rest. Tennyson.…

In a small degree; slightly; not severely. At the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun . . . and afterward did more grievously afflict her. Is. ix. 1.

Illumination, or degree of illumination; as, the lightness of a room. Chaucer.

To be pleased with in a moderate degree; to approve; to take satisfaction in; to enjoy. He proceeded from looking to liking, and from liking to loving. Sir P. Sidney.

A curve of the fourth degree, invented by Pascal. Its polar equation is r = a cos + b.

al plaque, vase, or the like, and painted in enamel colors. The art was brought to a high degree of perfection in Limoges in the 16th century. -- Limoges ware. (a) Articles decorated with Limoges enamel. (b) Articles of porcelain, etc., manufactured at Limoges.

mities; as, a linear leaf. Linear differential (Math.), an equation which is of the first degree, when the expression which is equated to zero is regarded as a function of the dependent variable and its differential coefficients. -- Linear equation (Math.), an equation of the first degree between two variables; -- so…

Linseed oil brought to various degrees of hardness by some oxidizing process, as by exposure to heated air, or by treatment with chloride of sulphur. In this condition it is used for many of the purposes to which India rubber has been applied.

One educated, but not having taken a university degree; especially, such a person who is prepared to take holy orders. [Eng.]

A small degree or scale; miniature. " His picture in little." Shak. A little, to or in a small degree; to a limited extent; somewhat; for a short time. " Stay a little." Shak. The painter flattered her a little. Shak. -- By little and little, or Little by little, by slow degrees; piecemeal; gradually.…