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Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors. Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic. Macaulay.

tion or requirement. We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver. Jer. Taylor. I broke the letter of it to keep the sense. Tennyson.

h ascended; to that which descended, the form of gravity. Sir. W. Raleigh. This bubble by reason of its comparative levity to the fluidity that incloses it, would ascend to the top. Bentley.

Without reason, or for reasons of little weight. Flatter not the rich, neither do thou willingly or lightly appear before great personages. Jer. Taylor.

Having probability; having or giving reason to expect; -- followed by the infinitive; as, it is likely to rain.

To speak with reserve or concealment; to utter timidly or confidentially; as, to lisp treason.

The science or art of exact reasoning, or of pure and formal thought, or of the laws according to which the processes of pure thinking should be conducted; the science of the formation and application of general notions; the science of generalization, judgment, classification, reasoning, and systematic arrangement; cor…

According to the rules of logic; as, a logical argument or inference; the reasoning is logical. Prior.

A word; reason; speech. H. Bushell.

, narrow opening; a loophole. And stop all sight-holes, every loop from whence The eye of Reason may pry in upon us. Shak.

Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate; as, a loose style, or way of reasoning. The comparison employed . . . must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation. Whewel.

Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low estimate.

ect; not darkened or confused by delirium or madness; marked by the regular operations of reason; as, a lucid interval.

Insanity or madness; properly, the kind of insanity which is broken by intervals of reason, -- formerly supposed to be influenced by the changes of the moon; any form of unsoundness of mind, except idiocy; mental derangement or alienation. Brande. Burrill. Your kindred shuns your house As beaten hence by your strange l…

A fit of lunacy or madness; a period of frenzy; a crazy or unreasonable freak. [Obs.] These dangerous, unsafe lunes i' the king. Shak.

Excited beyond self-control or the restraint of reason; inflamed by violent or uncontrollable desire, passion, or appetite; as, to be mad with terror, lust, or hatred; mad against political reform. It is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols. Jer. 1. 88. And being exceedingly mad against them, I…

In a mad manner; without reason or understanding; wildly.

Excessive or unreasonable desire; insane passion affecting one or many people; as, the tulip mania. Mania a potu Etym: [L.], madness from drinking; delirium tremens.

Soft or tender by reason of ripeness; having a tender pulp; as, a mellow apple.

ins the knowledge of previous thoughts, impressions, or events. Memory is the purveyor of reason. Rambler.