Leno(lēn�), n.[Cf. It. leno weak, flexible.]A light open cotton fabric used for window curtains.
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Lenocinant(l�nŏsĭn�nt), a.[L. lenocinans, p. pr. of lenocinari to pander, cajole; akin to leno pimp.]Given to lewdness.[Obs.]
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Lens(lĕnz), n.; pl.Lenses(-ĕz).[L. lens a lentil. So named from the resemblance in shape of a double convex lens to the seed of a lentil. Cf. .](Opt.)A piece of glass, or other transparent substance, ground with two opposite regular surfaces, either both curved, or one curved and the other plane, and commonly used, either singly or combined, in optical instruments, for changing the direction of rays of light, and thus magnifying objects, or otherwise modifying vision. In practice, the curved surfaces are usually spherical, though rarely cylindrical, or of some other figure.
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Lenses
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☞ Of spherical lenses, there are six varieties, as shown in section in the figures herewith given: viz., a plano-concave; b double-concave; c plano-convex; d double-convex; e converging concavo-convex, or converging meniscus; f diverging concavo-convex, or diverging meniscus.
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Coloq. Crossed lens(Opt.), a double-convex lens with one radius equal to six times the other. -- Coloq. Crystalline lens . (Anat.)See . -- Coloq. Fresnel lens(Opt.), a compound lens formed by placing around a central convex lens rings of glass so curved as to have the same focus; used, especially in lighthouses, for concentrating light in a particular direction; -- so called from the inventor. -- Coloq. Multiplying lensor Coloq. Multiplying glass(Opt.), a lens one side of which is plane and the other convex, but made up of a number of plane faces inclined to one another, each of which presents a separate image of the object viewed through it, so that the object is, as it were, multiplied. -- Coloq. Polyzonal lens . See .
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Lent(lĕnt), imp. & p. p. of .
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Lent, n.[OE. lente, lenten, leynte, AS. lengten, lencten, spring, lent, akin to D. lente, OHG. lenzin, langiz, G. lenz, and perh. fr. AS. lang long, E. long, because at this season of the year the days lengthen.](Eccl.)A fast of forty days, beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing till Easter, observed by some Christian churches as commemorative of the fast of our Savior.
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Coloq. Lent lily(Bot.), the daffodil; -- so named from its blossoming in spring.
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Lent, a.[L. lentus; akin to lenis soft, mild: cf. F. lent. See .]1.Slow; mild; gentle; as, lenter heats.[Obs.]B. Jonson.
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2.(Mus.)See .
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Lentamente(l�ntȧm�nt�; E. lĕntȧmĕnt�), adv.[It.](Mus.)Slowly; in slow time.
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Lentando(l�ntänd�; E. lĕntănd�), a.[It., p. pr. of lentare to make slow. See , a.](Mus.)Slackening; retarding. Same as .
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Lenten, a.[From OE. lenten lent. See , n. ]1.Of or pertaining to the fast called Lent; used in, or suitable to, Lent; as, the Lenten season.
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She quenched her fury at the flood,
And with a Lenten salad cooled her blood.Dryden.
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Coloq. Lenten color , black or violet.F. G. Lee.
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Lententide(-tīd), n.The season of Lenten or Lent.
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Lenticel(lĕntĭsĕl), n.[F. lenticelle, dim. fr. L. lens, lentis, a lentil. Cf. .](Bot.)(a)One of the small, oval, rounded spots upon the stem or branch of a plant, from which the underlying tissues may protrude or roots may issue, either in the air, or more commonly when the stem or branch is covered with water or earth.(b)A small, lens-shaped gland on the under side of some leaves.
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Lenticellate(lĕntĭsĕll�t), a.(Bot.)Producing lenticels; dotted with lenticels.
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Lenticula(lĕntĭk�lȧ), n.; pl. E. Lenticulas(-lȧz), L. Lenticulæ(-lē).[L. See .]1.(Med.)A kind of eruption upon the skin; lentigo; freckle.
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2.(Opt.)A lens of small size.
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3.(Bot.)A lenticel.
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Lenticular(-lẽr), a.[L. lenticularis: cf. F. lenticulaire. See .]Resembling a lentil in size or form; having the form of a double-convex lens.
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Lenticularly, adv.In the manner of a lens; with a curve.
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Lentiginous(-nŭs), a.[L. lentiginosus. See .]Of or pertaining to lentigo; freckly; scurfy; furfuraceous.
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Lentigo(lĕntīg�), n.[L., fr. lens, lentis, lentil.](Med.)A freckly eruption on the skin; freckles.
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Lentil(lĕntĭl), n.[F. lentille, fr. L. lenticula, dim. of lens, lentis, lentil. Cf. .](Bot.)A leguminous plant of the genus Ervum (Ervum Lens), of small size, common in the fields in Europe. Also, its seed, which is used for food on the continent.
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☞ The lentil of the Scriptures probably included several other vetchlike plants.
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Coloq. Lentil shell(Zoöl.), a small bivalve shell of the genus Ervillia, family Tellinidæ.
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Lentinusn.The most important genus of mushrooms in the Far East. Syn. -- genus Lentinus.
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{ Lentiscus(lĕntĭskŭs), Lentisk(lĕntĭsk), }n.[L. lentiscus, lentiscum: cf. F. lentisque.](Bot.)A tree; the mastic. See .
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lentissimoa. & adv.(Music)very slow; very slowly; -- of music tempo.
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Lentous(-tŭs), a.[L. lentus. See .]Viscid; viscous; tenacious.
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Spawn of a lentous and transparent body.Sir T. Browne.
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L'envoi, orL'envoy(länvwä), n.[F. le the + envoi a sending. See .]1.One or more detached verses at the end of a literary composition, serving to convey the moral, or to address the poem to a particular person; -- orig. employed in old French poetry.Shak.
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2.A conclusion; a result.Massinger.
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Leo(lēō), n.[L. See .](Astron.)1.The Lion, the fifth sign of the zodiac, marked thus [♌] in almanacs.
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2.A northern constellation east of Cancer, containing the bright star Regulus at the end of the handle of the Sickle.
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Coloq. Leo Minor , a small constellation between Leo and the Great Bear.
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Leod(lēŏd), n.[AS. leód people, nation, man, chief; akin to OS. liud, OHG. liut, pl. liuti, G. leute, pl., fr. AS. leódan to grow, akin to Goth. liudan, OS. liodan, OHG. liotan to grow; cf. Skr. ruh. √123.]People; a nation; a man.[Obs.]Piers Plowman. Bp. Gibson.
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Leon(lēŏn), n.A lion.[Obs.]Chaucer.
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Leonced(lēŏnst), a.(Her.)See .
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Leonese(lē�nēz or -nēs), a.Of or pertaining to Leon, in Spain. -- n. sing. & pl.A native or natives of Leon.
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Leonid(lē�nĭd), n.[From : cf. F. léonides, pl.](Astron.)One of the shooting stars which constitute the star shower that recurs near the fourteenth of November at intervals of about thirty-three years; -- so called because these shooting stars appear on the heavens to move in lines directed from the constellation Leo.
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Leonine(lē�nīn), a.[L. leoninus, fr. leo, leonis, lion: cf. F. léonin. See .]Pertaining to, or characteristic of, the lion; as, a leonine look; leonine rapacity. -- Leoninely, adv.
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Coloq. Leonine verse , a kind of verse, in which the end of the line rhymes with the middle; -- so named from Leo, or Leoninus, a Benedictine and canon of Paris in the twelfth century, who wrote largely in this measure, though he was not the inventor. The following line is an example:
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Leonotisn.A small genus of tropical herbs and subshrubs of S Africa. Syn. -- genus Leonotis.
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Leontocebusprop. n.A genus of marmosets including some of the tamarins. Called also Leontopithecus and Leontideus. Syn. -- genus Leontocebus, genus Leontideus, genus Leontopithecus.
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Leontopodiumn.A genus of plants including the edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum). Syn. -- genus Leontopodium.
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Leontodon(l�ŏnt�dŏn), n.[Gr. lewn, leontos, lion + 'odoys, 'odontos, tooth. Cf. , .](Bot.)A genus of liguliflorous composite plants, including the fall dandelion (Leontodon autumnale), and formerly the true dandelion; -- called also lion's tooth.
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Leonurusn.A genus of stout Old World herbs having cut-lobed leaves and flowers in whorls. Syn. -- genus Leonurus.
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Leopard(lĕpẽrd), n.[OE. leopart, leparde, lebarde, libbard, OF. leopard, liepart, F. léopard, L. leopardus, fr. Gr. leopardos; lewn lion + pardos pard. See , and .](Zoöl.)A large, savage, carnivorous mammal (Felis leopardus). It is of a yellow or fawn color, with rings or roselike clusters of black spots along the back and sides. It is found in Southern Asia and Africa. By some the panther (Felis pardus) is regarded as a variety of leopard.
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Coloq. Hunting leopard . See . -- Coloq. Leopard cat(Zoöl.)any one of several species or varieties of small, spotted cats found in Africa, Southern Asia, and the East Indies; esp., Felis Bengalensis. -- Coloq. Leopard marmot . See , 2.
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leopardbane(lĕpẽrdbān), n.Any of several herbs of the genus Doronicum (as Doronicum acaule syn. Arnica acaulis) having alternate often clasping stem leaves cultivated for their long stalks of yellow flower heads. See . Syn. -- leopard's-bane, leopard's bane.
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Coloq. false leopardbane(f�ls lĕpẽrdbān), n.Any of several herbs of the genus Doronicum, such as the great false leopardbane (Doronicum pardalianches) of North America and the oriental false leopardbane (Doronicum orientale syn. Doronicum caucasicum).
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leopard's bane(lĕpẽrdz bān)n.(Bot.)A name of several harmless plants, as Arnica montana (Arnica acaulis syn. Doronicum acaule), Senecio Doronicum, and Paris quadrifolia. Syn. -- leopardbane, leopard's-bane.
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Lepadidaeprop. n.A natural family of crustaceans including the goose barnacles. Syn. -- family Lepadidae.
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Lepadite(lĕpȧdīt), n.[L. lepas, lepadis, limpet, Gr. lepas, lepados.](Zoöl.)Same as .
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Lepadoid(lĕpȧdoid), n.[Lepas + -oid.](Zoöl.)A stalked barnacle of the genus Lepas, or family Lepadidæ; a goose barnacle. Also used adjectively.
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Lepal(lĕp�l), n.[Gr. lepis a scale: cf. F. lépale.](Bot.)A sterile transformed stamen.
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Lepanton.The name of a battle in which Turkish seapower was destroyed by the Christian League in 1571. Syn. -- battle of Lepanto.
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Lepas(lēpăs), n.[L., a limpet, fr. Gr. lepas.](Zoöl.)Any one of various species of Lepas, a genus of pedunculated barnacles found attached to floating timber, bottoms of ships, Gulf weed, etc.; -- called also goose barnacle. See .
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Leper(lĕpẽr), n.[OE. lepre leprosy, F. lèpre, L. leprae, lepra, fr. Gr. lepra, fr. lepros scaly, fr. lepos scale, lepein to peel.]A person affected with leprosy.
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Lepered(-ẽrd), a.Affected or tainted with leprosy.
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Leperize(lĕpẽrīz), v. t.To affect with leprosy.
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The joyous and lepid consul.Sydney Smith.
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Lepidine(lĕpĭdĭn or dēn), n.(Chem.)An organic base, C9H6.N.CH3, metameric with quinaldine, and obtained by the distillation of cinchonine.
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Lepidodendralesn.An order of fossil arborescent plants arising during the Lower Devonian and conspicuous throughout the Carboniferous. Syn. -- order Lepidodendrales.
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Lepidodendrid(lĕpĭd�dĕndrĭd), n.(Paleon.)One of an extinct family of trees allied to the modern club mosses, and including Lepidodendron and its allies.
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Lepidodendroid(-droid), a.(Paleon.)Allied to, or resembling, Lepidodendron. -- n.A lepidodendrid.
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Lepidodendron(-drŏn), n.[NL., fr. Gr. lepis-idos, a scale + dendron tree.](Paleon.)A genus of fossil trees of the Devonian and Carboniferous ages, having the exterior marked with scars, mostly in quincunx order, produced by the separation of the leafstalks.
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Lepidoganoid(lĕpĭd�gānoid or -gănoid), n.[Gr. lepis-idos, a scale + E. ganoid.](Zoöl.)Any one of a division (Lepidoganoidei) of ganoid fishes, including those that have scales forming a coat of mail. Also used adjectively.
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Lepidolite(l�pĭd�līt; 277), n.[Gr. lepis-idos, a scale + -lite: cf. F. lépidolithe.](Min.)A species of mica, of a lilac or rose-violet color, containing lithia. It usually occurs in masses consisting of small scales. See .
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Lepidomelane(lĕpĭdŏm�lān), n.[Gr. lepis-idos, a scale + melas, melaina, black.](Min.)An iron-potash mica, of a raven-black color, usually found in granitic rocks in small six-sided tables, or as an aggregation of minute opaque scales. See .
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Lepidopter(lĕpĭdŏptẽr), n.[Cf. F. lépidoptère.](Zoöl.)One of the Lepidoptera.
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Lepidoptera(-dŏpt�rȧ), n. pl.[NL., fr. Gr. lepis-idos, a scale + pteron a feather, wing.](Zoöl.)An order of insects, which includes the butterflies and moths. They have broad wings, covered with minute overlapping scales, usually brightly colored.
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☞ They have a tubular proboscis, or haustellum, formed by the two slender maxillæ. The labial palpi are usually large, and the proboscis, when not in use, can be coiled up spirally between them. The mandibles are rudimentary. The larvæ, called caterpillars, are often brightly colored, and they commonly feed on leaves. The adults feed chiefly on the honey of flowers.
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{ Lepidopteral(-tẽr�l), Lepidopterous(-ŭs), }a.(Zoöl.)Of or pertaining to the Lepidoptera.
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lepidopterana.Same as .
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lepidopterann.An insect that in the adult state has four wings more or less covered with tiny scales; a lepidopterous insect. Syn. -- lepidopterous insect, lepidopteron.
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Lepidopterist, n.(Zoöl.)One who studies the Lepidoptera.
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lepidopteronn.An insect that in the adult state has four wings more or less covered with tiny scales. Syn. -- lepidopterous insect, lepidopteran.
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lepidopterousa.See .
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Lepidosauria(-d�s�rĭȧ), n. pl.[NL., fr. Gr. lepis-idos, a scale + say^ros a lizard.](Zoöl.)A division of reptiles, including the serpents and lizards; the Plagiotremata.
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Lepidosiren(-sīrĕn), n.[Gr. lepis-idos, a scale + seirhn a siren.](Zoöl.)An eel-shaped ganoid fish of the order Dipnoi, having both gills and lungs. It inhabits the rivers of South America. The name is also applied to a related African species (Protopterus annectens). The lepidosirens grow to a length of from four to six feet. Called also doko.
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{ Lepidote(lĕpĭdōt), Lepidoted(-dōtĕd), }a.[Gr. lepidwtos covered with scales, fr. lepis-idos, a scale.](Bot.)Having a coat of scurfy scales, as the leaves of the oleaster.
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lepiotan.any fungus of the genus Lepiota.
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Lepisma(l�pĭzmȧ), n.[NL., fr. Gr. lepisma peel, fr. lepis-idos, a scale.](Zoöl.)A genus of wingless thysanurous insects having an elongated flattened body, covered with shining scales and terminated by seven unequal bristles. A common species (Lepisma saccharina) is found in houses, and often injures books and furniture; it feeds on starch and eats sized paper and starched clothes. Called also shiner, silverfish, silver witch, silver moth, and furniture bug.
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Lepismoid(-moid), a.[Lepisma + -oid.](Zoöl.)Like or pertaining to the Lepisma.
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Lepomisn.A genus of freshwater sunfishes, inclding some of the breams. Syn. -- genus Lepomis.
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leporidn.A mammal of the family Leporidae, including the rabbits and hares. Syn. -- leporid mammal.
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Leporidaen.A natural family of mammals comprising the hares and rabbits. Syn. -- family Leporidae.
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leporiden.1.red breed of domestic rabbits, also called Belgian hare. Syn. -- Belgian hare.
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Leporine(lĕp�rīn or -rĭn), a.[L. leporinus, fr. lepus, leporis, hare. See .](Zoöl.)Of or pertaining to a hare; like or characteristic of, a hare.
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leppyn.A motherless calf in a range herd of cattle.[Western U. S.] Syn. -- dogie, dogy, dogey.
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Lepra(lēprȧ), n.[L. See .](Med.)Leprosy.
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☞ The term lepra was formerly given to various skin diseases, the leprosy of modern authors being Lepra Arabum. See .
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