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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



1,095 words match “FLY”

LABIAL n.
A letter or character representing an articulation or sound formed or uttered chiefly with the lips, as b, p, w.
LACEWING n.
and brilliant eyes. Their larvæ are useful in destroying aphids. Called also lace-winged fly, and goldeneyed fly.
LACTIC a.
ic modifications all having the formula C3H6O3. Sarcolactic or paralactic acid occurs chiefly in dead muscle tissue, while ordinary lactic acid results from fermentation. The two acids are alike in having the same constitution (expressed by the name ethylidene lactic acid), but the latter is optically inactive, while s…
LADANUM n.
resin gathered from certain Oriental species of Cistus. It has a pungent odor and is chiefly used in making plasters, and for fumigation. [Written also labdanum.]
LADYBIRD n.
nd allied genera (family Coccinellidæ); -- called also ladybug, ladyclock, lady cow, lady fly, and lady beetle. Coccinella seplempunctata in one of the common European species. See Coccinella.
LANCH v.
To throw, as a lance; to let fly; to launch. See Whose arm can lanch the surer bolt. Dryden & Lee.
LAND n.
one of various species of crabs which live much on the land, and resort to the water chiefly for the purpose of breeding. They are abundant in the West Indies and South America. Some of them grow to a large size. -- Land fish a fish on land; a person quite out of place.Shak. -- Land force, a military force serving o…
LANGUAGED a.
Having a language; skilled in language; -- chiefly used in composition. " Manylanguaged nations." Pope.
LAPUTAN a.
Of or pertaining to Laputa, an imaginary flying island described in Gulliver's Travels as the home of chimerical philosophers. Hence, fanciful; preposterous; absurd in science or philosophy. "Laputan ideas." G. Eliot.
LATHE n.
ngine lathe, a turning lathe in which the cutting tool has an automatic feed; -- used chiefly for turning and boring metals, cutting screws, etc. -- Foot lathe, a lathe which is driven by a treadle worked by the foot. -- Geometric lathe. See under Geometric -- Hand lathe, a lathe operated by hand; a power turning lat…
LAUD n.
A part of divine worship, consisting chiefly of praise; -- usually in the pl.
LAUNCH v.
To throw, as a lance or dart; to hurl; to let fly.
LEAD n.
redient of solder and type metal. Atomic weight, 206.4. Symbol Pb (L. Plumbum). It is chiefly obtained from the mineral galena, lead sulphide.
LEADER n.
for leading fish into a pound, weir, etc. ; also, a line of gut, to which the snell of a fly hook is attached.
LEAF n.
. -- Leaf bud (Bot.), a bud which develops into leaves or a leafy branch. -- Leaf butterfly (Zoöl.), any butterfly which, in the form and colors of its wings, resembles the leaves of plants upon which it rests; esp., butterflies of the genus Kallima, found in Southern Asia and the East Indies. -- Leaf crumpler (Zoöl…
LEAGUE n.
out 2.4 to 4.6 English statute miles of 5.280 feet each, and used (as a land measure) chiefly on the continent of Europe, and in the Spanish parts of America. The marine league of England and the United States is equal to three marine, or geographical, miles of 6080 feet each.
LEAVE n.
he act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a leaving; farewell; adieu; -- used chiefly in the phrase, to take leave, i. e., literally, to take permission to go. A double blessing is a'double grace; Occasion smiles upon a second leave. Shak. And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his le…
LECYTHIS n.
A genus of gigantic trees, chiefly Brazilian, of the order Myrtaceæ, having woody capsules opening by an apical lid. Lecythis Zabucajo yields the delicious sapucaia nuts. L. Ollaria produces the monkey-pots, its capsules. Its bark separates into thin sheets, like paper, used by the natives for cigarette wrappers.…
LENGTHY a.
Having length; rather long or too long; prolix; not brief; -- said chiefly of discourses, writings, and the like. "Lengthy periods." Washington. "Some lengthy additions." Byron. "These would be details too lengthy." Jefferson. "To cut short lengthy explanations." Trench.
LET v.
ove restraint from; to permit to wander at large. -- To let off (a) To discharge; to let fly, as an arrow; to fire the charge of, as a gun. (b) To release, as from an engagement or obligation. [Colloq.] To let out. (a) To allow to go forth; as, to let out a prisoner. (b) To extend or loosen, as the folds of a garment;…
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