Search the Dictionary

Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



1,055 words match “AMERICAN”

KOLUSCHAN; KOLUSHAN a.
Designating, or pert. to, a linguistic stock of North American Indians comprising the Tlinkit tribes of the Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska and adjacent coast lands. Their language bears some affinity to Mexican tongues.
LABROID a.
ored, which are very abundant in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The tautog and cunner are American examples.
LACKEY n.
s (C. neustria) is striped with blue, yellow, and red, with a white line on the back. The American species (C. Americana and C. sylvatica) are commonly called tent caterpillars. See Tent caterpillar,under Tent. -- Lackey moth (Zoöl.), the moth which produces the lackey caterpillar.
LACROSSE n.
A game of ball, originating among the North American Indians, now the popular field sport of Canada, and played also in England and the United States. Each player carries a long-handled racket, called a "crosse". The ball is not handled but caught with the crosse and carried on it, or tossed from it, the object being t…
LADDER n.
young ambition's ladder. Shak. Fish ladder. See under Fish. -- Ladder beetle (Zoöl.), an American leaf beetle (Chrysomela scalaris). The elytra are silvery white, striped and spotted with green; the under wings are rose-colored. It feeds upon the linden tree. -- Ladder handle, an iron rail at the side of a vertical f…
LAMBDACISM n.
The use of the sound of l for that of r in pronunciation; lallation; as, Amelican for American.
LAMBKILL n.
A small American ericaceous shrub (Kalmia angustifolia); -- called also calfkill, sheepkill, sheep laurel, etc. It is supposed to poison sheep and other animals that eat it at times when the snow is deep and they cannot find other food.
LANNER; LANNERET n.
ed falcon (Falco lanarius), of Southern Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa, resembling the American prairie falcon.
LANT n.
, marine fishes of the genus Ammedytes. The common European species (A. tobianus) and the American species (A. Americanus) live on sandy shores, buried in the sand, and are caught in large quantities for bait. Called also launce, and sand eel.
LAPPET n.
species of bombycid moths, which have stout, hairy caterpillars, flat beneath. Two common American species (Gastropacha Americana, and Tolype velleda) feed upon the apple tree.
LAUGHING a.
from Laugh, v. i. Laughing falcon (Zoöl.), a South American hawk (Herpetotheres cachinnans); -- so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laughing. -- Laughing gas (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen; -- so called from the exhilaration and laughing which it sometimes produces when inhaled. It…
LAUREL n.
herry laurel, and containing prussic acid and other products carried over in the process. American laurel, or Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia. See under Mountain. -- California laurel, Umbellularia Californica. -- Cherry laurel (in England called laurel). See under Cherry. -- Great laurel, the rosebay (Rhododendro…
LEAF n.
are made in holes and crevices, or in a leaf rolled up for the purpose. Among the common American species are M. brevis and M. centuncularis. Called also rose-cutting bee. -- Leaf fat, the fat which lies in leaves or layers within the body of an animal. -- Leaf flea (Zoöl.), a jumping plant louse of the family Psyll…
LEAFCUP n.
A coarse American composite weed (Polymnia Uvedalia).
LEVERWOOD n.
The American hop hornbeam (Ostrya Virginica), a small tree with very tough wood.
LIBERTY n.
eedom to print and publish without official supervision. Liberty party, the party, in the American Revolution, which favored independence of England; in more recent usage, a party which favored the emancipation of the slaves. -- Liberty pole, a tall flagstaff planted in the ground, often surmounted by a liberty cap. […
LICORICE n.
plish flowers and a sweetish perennial rootstock. -- Wild licorice. (Bot.) (a) The North American perennial herb Glycyrrhiza lepidota. (b) Certain broad-leaved cleavers (Galium circæzans and G. lanceolatum). (c) The leguminous climber Abrus precatorius, whose scarlet and black seeds are called black-eyed Susans. Its r…
LILY n.
urk's-cap lily (Bot.) Lilium Martagon, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, L. superbum. -- Water lily (Bot.), the Nymphæa, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of Nymphæa.]…
LIMA n.
his plant, much used for food. -- Lima wood (Bot.), the beautiful dark wood of the South American tree Cæsalpinia echinata.
LINDEN n.
In America, the basswood, or Tilia Americana.
← Previous Page 22 of 53 Next →