Luff - Lunacy

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Luff (lŭf), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Luffed (lŭft); p. pr. & vb. n. Luffing.] 1. (Naut.) To turn the head of a vessel toward the wind; to sail nearer the wind; to turn the tiller so as to make the vessel sail nearer the wind.
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2. (Naut.) To flutter or shake from being aligned close to the direction of the wind; -- said of a sail.
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Coloq. To luff round , or Coloq. To luff alee , to make the extreme of this movement, for the purpose of throwing the ship's head into the wind.
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Luffer (lŭffẽr), n. (Arch.) See .
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Lug (lŭg), n. [Sw. lugg the forelock.] 1. The ear, or its lobe. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
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2. That which projects like an ear, esp. that by which anything is supported, carried, or grasped, or to which a support is fastened; an ear; as, the lugs of a kettle; the lugs of a founder's flask; the lug (handle) of a jug.
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3. (Mach.) A projecting piece to which anything, as a rod, is attached, or against which anything, as a wedge or key, bears, or through which a bolt passes, etc.
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4. (Harness) The leather loop or ear by which a shaft is held up.
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5. (Zoöl.) The lugworm.
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6. A man; sometimes implying clumsiness. [slang]
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Coloq. Lug bolt (Mach.), a bolt terminating in a long, flat extension which takes the place of a head; a strap bolt. -- Coloq. Lug nut (Mach.), a large nut fitting a heavy bolt; -- used especially of the nuts used to attach wheels to vehicles. -- Coloq. Lug wrench (Mach.), a wrench used to tighten or loosen lug nuts, usually a steel rod having a hexagonally shaped socket which fits closely over the lug nut; sometimes in the shape of a cross, having several such sockets, one at the end of each arm, to accommodate nuts of different sizes.
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Lug, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lugged (lŭgd); p. pr. & vb. n. Lugging (lŭggĭng).] [OE. luggen, Sw. lugga to pull by the hair, fr. lugg the forelock.] To pull with force; to haul; to drag along; to carry with difficulty, as something heavy or cumbersome. Dryden.
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They must divide the image among them, and so lug off every one his share. Collier.
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Lug, v. i. To move slowly and heavily.
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Lug, n. 1. The act of lugging; as, a hard lug; that which is lugged; as, the pack is a heavy lug. [Colloq.]
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2. Anything which moves slowly. [Obs.] Ascham.
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Lug, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] 1. A rod or pole. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
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2. A measure of length, being 161/2 feet; a rod, pole, or perch. [Obs.] “ Eight lugs of ground.” Spenser.
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Coloq. Chimney lug , or Coloq. Lug pole , a pole on which a kettle is hung over the fire, either in a chimney or in the open air. [Local, U.S.] Whittier.
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Luganda n. the language of the Buganda; spoken in Uganda.
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luge (l�zh), n. a racing sled for one or two people; it is raced down a chute of packed snow or ice, and the occupant(s) lie down on it with feet in the direction of motion.
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luger (l�zhẽr), n. someone who races the luge.
Syn. -- slider.
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Luggage (?), n. [From 4th .] That which is lugged; anything cumbrous and heavy to be carried; especially, a traveler's trunks, baggage, etc., or their contents.
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I am gathering up my luggage, and preparing for my journey. Swift.
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What do you mean,
To dote thus on such luggage! Shak.

Syn. -- Plunder; baggage.
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Coloq. Luggage van , a vehicle for carrying luggage; a railway car, or compartment of a car, for carrying luggage. [Eng.] -- Coloq. Luggage compartment , the compartment in a train, bus or other vehicle designed for storage of luggage during a journey. Separate from the passenger compartment.
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Lugger (?), n. (Naut.) A small vessel having two or three masts, and a running bowsprit, and carrying lugsails. See Illustration in Appendix. Totten.
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Lugger, n. (Zoöl.) An Indian falcon (Falco jugger), similar to the European lanner and the American prairie falcon.
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Lugmark (?), n. [From an ear.] A mark cut into the ear of an animal to identify it; an earmark.
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Lugsail (?), n. (Naut.) A square sail bent upon a yard that hangs obliquely to the mast and is raised or lowered with the sail. Totten.
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Lugubrious (?), a. [L. lugubris, fr. lugere to mourn; cf. Gr. lygros sad, Skr. ruj to break.] Mournful; indicating sorrow, often ridiculously or feignedly; doleful; woful; pitiable; as, a whining tone and a lugubrious look.
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Crossbones, scythes, hourglasses, and other lugubrious emblems of mortality. Hawthorne.

-- Lugubriously, adv. -- Lugubriousness, n.
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lugubriousness n. 1. excessive sadness and mournfulness.
Syn. -- gloominess.
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Lugworm (?), n. [1st lug + worm.] (Zoöl.) A large marine annelid (Arenicola marina) having a row of tufted gills along each side of the back. It is found burrowing in sandy beaches, both in America and Europe, and is used for bait by European fishermen. Called also lobworm, and baitworm.
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Luke (lūk), a. [Prob. fr. lew, perh. influenced by AS. wlæc warm, lukewarm, remiss. Cf. Lew.] Moderately warm; not hot; tepid; lukewarm. -- Lukeness, n. [Obs.]
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Nine penn'orth o'brandy and water luke. Dickens.
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Lukewarm (lūkw�rm), a. [See .] 1. Moderately warm; neither cold nor hot; tepid.
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2. Not ardent; not zealous; cool; indifferent. “ Lukewarm blood.” Spenser. “ Lukewarm patriots.” Addison.
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An obedience so lukewarm and languishing that it merits not the name of passion. Dryden.

-- Lukewarmly, adv. -- Lukewarmness, n.
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Lull (lŭl), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lulled (lŭld); p. pr. & vb. n. Lulling.] [Akin to OD. lullen to sing to sleep, G. lullen, Dan. lulle, Sw. lulla; all of imitative origin. Cf. , .] To cause to rest by soothing influences; to compose; to calm; to soothe; to quiet. “ To lull him soft asleep.” Spenser.
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Such sweet compulsion doth in music lie,
To lull the daughters of necessity. Milton.
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Lull, v. i. To become gradually calm; to subside; to cease or abate for a time; as, the storm lulls.
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Lull, n. 1. The power or quality of soothing; that which soothes; a lullaby. [R.] Young.
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2. A temporary cessation of storm or confusion.
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lullaby (?), n. [From , v. t. ] 1. A song to quiet babes or lull them to sleep; that which quiets. Shak.
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2. Hence: Good night; good-by. [Obs.] Shak.
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Luller (?), n. One who, or that which, lulls.
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Lullingly, adv. In a lulling manner; soothingly.
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Lum (lŭm), n. [W. llumon chimney, llum that shoots up or ends in a point.] 1. A chimney. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Burns.
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2. A ventilating chimney over the shaft of a mine.
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3. A woody valley; also, a deep pool. [Prov. Eng.]
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{ Lumachel (?), Lumachella (?), } n. [F. lumachelle, It. lumachella, fr. lamachella a little snail, dim. of lumaca a snail, fr. L. limax, -acis.] (Min.) A grayish brown limestone, containing fossil shells, which reflect a beautiful play of colors. It is also called fire marble, from its fiery reflections.
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Lumbaginous (?), a. Of or pertaining to lumbago.
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Lumbago (?), n. [L., fr. lumbus loin. See .] (Med.) A rheumatic pain in the loins and the small of the back.
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{ Lumbar (?), Lumbal (?), } a. [L. lumbus loin. See .] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or near, the loins; as, the lumbar arteries.
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Coloq. Lumbar region (Anat.), the region of the loin; specifically, a region between the hypochondriac and iliac regions, and outside of the umbilical region.
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Lumber (?), n. [Prob. fr. Lombard, the Lombards being the money lenders and pawnbrokers of the Middle Ages. A lumber room was, according to Trench, originally a Lombard room, or room where the Lombard pawnbroker stored his pledges. See .] 1. A pawnbroker's shop, or room for storing articles put in pawn; hence, a pledge, or pawn. [Obs.]
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They put all the little plate they had in the lumber, which is pawning it, till the ships came. Lady Murray.
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2. Old or refuse household stuff; things cumbrous, or bulky and useless, or of small value.
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3. Timber sawed or split into the form of beams, joists, boards, planks, staves, hoops, etc.; esp., that which is smaller than heavy timber. [U.S.]
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Coloq. Lumber kiln , a room in which timber or lumber is dried by artificial heat. [U.S.] -- Coloq. Lumber room , a room in which unused furniture or other lumber is kept. [U.S.] -- Coloq. Lumber wagon , a heavy rough wagon, without springs, used for general farmwork, etc. -- Coloq. dimensional lumber , lumber, usually of pine, which is sold as beams or planks having a specified nominal cross-section, usually in inches, such a two-by-four, two-by-six, four-by-four, etc.
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Lumber, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lumbered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lumbering.] 1. To heap together in disorder. “ Stuff lumbered together.” Rymer.
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2. To fill or encumber with lumber; as, to lumber up a room.
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Lumber, v. i. 1. To move heavily, as if burdened.
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2. [Cf. dial. Sw. lomra to resound.] To make a sound as if moving heavily or clumsily; to rumble. Cowper.
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3. To cut logs in the forest, or prepare timber for market. [U.S.]
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Lumberer (?), n. One employed in lumbering, cutting, and getting logs from the forest for lumber; a lumberman. [U.S.]
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Lumberers have a notion that he (the woodpecker) is harmful to timber. Lowell.
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Lumbering, n. The business of cutting or getting timber or logs from the forest for lumber. [U.S.]
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lumberjack n. 1. a person who works at lumbering; a lumberman.
Syn. -- lumberman, timberman.
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2. (Zool.) The grey jay. [Canadian]
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Lumberman (?), n.; pl. Lumbermen (�). One who is engaged in lumbering as a business or employment. [U.S.]
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Lumber State. Maine; -- a nickname.
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Lumbosacral (?), n. [L. lumbus loin + E. sacral.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the loins and sacrum; as, the lumbosacral nerve, a branch of one of the lumber nerves which passes over the sacrum.
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Lumbric (?), n. [L. lumbricus.] (Zoöl.) An earthworm, or a worm resembling an earthworm.
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Lumbrical (?), a. [Cf. F. lombrical. See .] (Anat.) Resembling a worm; as, the lumbrical muscles of the hands of the hands and feet. -- n. A lumbrical muscle.
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Lumbriciform (?), a. [L. lumbricus worm + -form.] (Zoöl.) Resembling an earthworm; vermiform.
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Lumbricoid (?), a. [Lumbricus + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Like an earthworm; belonging to the genus Lumbricus, or family Lumbricidæ.
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Lumbricus (?), n. [L. See .] (Zoöl.) A genus of annelids, belonging to the Oligochæta, and including the common earthworms. See .
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Lumen (?), n.; pl. L. Lumina (#), E. Lumens (#). [L., light, an opening for light.] 1. (Photom.) (a) A unit of illumination, being the amount of illumination of a unit area of spherical surface, due to a light of unit intensity placed at the center of the sphere. (b) A unit of light flux, being the flux through one square meter of surface the illumination of which is uniform and of unit brightness.
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2. (Biol.) An opening, space, or cavity, esp. a tubular cavity; a vacuole.
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Luminant (?), a. Luminous. [R.]
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Luminary (?), n.; pl. Luminaries (#), [F. luminaire, L. luminare a light or lamp, which was lighted in the churches, a luminary, fr. lumen, luminis, light, fr. lucere to be light, to shine, lux, lucis, light. See .]
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1. Any body that gives light, especially one of the heavenly bodies. “ Radiant luminary.” Skelton.
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Where the great luminary . . .
Dispenses light from far. Milton.
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2. One who illustrates any subject, or enlightens mankind; as, Newton was a distinguished luminary.
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Luminate (?), v. t. [L. luminatus, p. p. of luminare to illumine, fr. lumen light. See .] To illuminate. [Obs.]
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Lumination (?), n. Illumination. [Obs.]
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Lumine (?), v. i. To illumine. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Luminescence (?), n. [See .] 1. (Physics) Any emission of light not ascribable directly to incandescence, and therefore occurring at low temperatures, as in phosphorescence and fluorescence or other luminous radiation resulting from vital processes, chemical action, friction, solution, or the influence of light or of ultraviolet or cathode rays, etc.
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2. (Zoöl.) (a) The faculty or power of producing light by biological processes, as in the firefly and glowworm. Also called bioluminescence. (b) The light produced by biological or biochemical processes. Also called bioluminescence.
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Luminescent (?), a. [L. luminare to illuminate + -escent.] (Physics) Shining with a light due to any of the various causes which produce luminescence.
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Luminiferous (?), a. [L. lumen light + -ferous.] Producing light; yielding light; transmitting light; as, the luminiferous ether.
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Luminosity (?), n. The quality or state of being luminous; luminousness.
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Luminous (?), a. [L. luminosus, fr. lumen light: cf. F. lumineux. See , .]
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1. Shining; emitting or reflecting light; brilliant; bright; as, the is a luminous body; a luminous color.
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Fire burneth wood, making it . . . luminous. Bacon.
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The mountains lift . . . their lofty and luminous heads. Longfellow.
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2. Illuminated; full of light; bright; as, many candles made the room luminous.
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Up the staircase moved a luminous space in the darkness. Longfellow.
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3. Enlightened; intelligent; also, clear; intelligible; as, a luminous mind. “ Luminous eloquence.” Macaulay. “ A luminous statement.” Brougham.
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Coloq. Luminous paint , a paint made up with some phosphorescent substance, as sulphide of calcium, which after exposure to a strong light is luminous in the dark for a time.
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Syn. -- Lucid; clear; shining; perspicuous.
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-- Luminously, adv. -- Luminousness, n.
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luminousness n. the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light.
Syn. -- luminosity, luminance, light.
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Lummox (?), n. A fat, ungainly, stupid person; an awkward bungler. [Low.]
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Lump (lŭmp), n. [Cf. OD. lompe piece, mass. Cf. .] 1. A small mass of matter of irregular shape; an irregular or shapeless mass; as, a lump of coal; a lump of iron ore. “ A lump of cheese.” Piers Plowman. “ This lump of clay.” Shak.
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2. A mass or aggregation of things.
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3. (Firearms) A projection beneath the breech end of a gun barrel.
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Coloq. In the lump , Coloq. In a lump , the whole together; in gross.
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They may buy them in the lump. Addison.
-- Coloq. Lump coal , coal in large lumps; -- the largest size brought from the mine. -- Coloq. Lump sum , (a) a gross sum without a specification of items; as, to award a lump sum in satisfaction of all claims and damages. (b) a single sum paid once in satisfaction of a claim, as contrasted with the alternate choice of several payments over a period of time; -- sometimes allowed, e.g., as an alternative to periodical pension payments for a lifetime.
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Lump, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lumped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lumping.] 1. To throw into a mass; to unite in a body or sum without distinction of particulars.
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The expenses ought to be lumped together. Ayliffe.
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2. To take in the gross; to speak of collectively.
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Not forgetting all others, . . . whom for brevity, but out of no resentment to you, I lump all together. Sterne.
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3. To get along with as one can, although displeased; as, if he doesn't like it, he can lump it. [Low]
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Lumpectomy, n. (Med.) the removal of a cyst or tumor from the breast by surgery. This is one method of treating breast tumors when in an early stage, and is preferred for cosmetic reasons, when medically feasible, to radical mastectomy, the removal of the entire breast along with nearby muscles.
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lumpen adj. 1. mentally sluggish.
Syn. -- lumpish, sluggish, unthinking.
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Lumpen (?), n. 1. (Politics) same as .
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2. (Zoöl.) The European eelpout; -- called also lumper.
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Lumpenproletariat (?), n. (Politics) the lowest level of the proletariat, comprising unskilled workers, the unemployed, and the dispossessed, alienated from the class with with they would normally identify and having little or no class solidarity; -- an important element in Marxist theory.
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Lumper (?), n. [Cf. .] (Zoöl.) The European eelpout; -- called also lumpen.
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Lumper, n. 1. One who lumps.
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2. A laborer who is employed to load or unload vessels when in harbor.
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Lumpfish (?), n. [From , on account of its bulkiness: cf. G. & D. lump, F. lompe.] (Zoöl.) A large, thick, clumsy, marine fish (Cyclopterus lumpus) of Europe and America. The color is usually translucent sea green, sometimes purplish. It has a dorsal row of spiny tubercles, and three rows on each side, but has no scales. The ventral fins unite and form a ventral sucker for adhesion to stones and seaweeds. Called also lumpsucker, cock-paddle, sea owl.
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Lumping, a. Bulky; heavy. Arbuthnot.
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Lumpish, a. Like a lump; inert; gross; heavy; dull; spiritless. “ Lumpish, heavy, melancholy.” Shak.

-- Lumpishly, adv. -- Lumpishness, n.
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Lumpsucker (?), n. (Zoöl.) The lumpfish.
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Lump together, v. t. To combine (various items) and treat them as a unit. See , v. i.
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Lumpy (?), a. [Compar. Lumpier (?); superl. Lumpiest.] Full of lumps, or small compact masses; as, a lumpy bed; a lumpy batch of dough.
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Lumpy-jaw. (Med.) Actinomycosis. [Colloq.]
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Luna (?), n. [L.; akin to lucere to shine. See , n., and cf. .] 1. The moon.
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2. (Alchemy) Silver.
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Coloq. Luna cornea (Old Chem.), horn silver, or fused silver chloride, a tough, brown, translucent mass; -- so called from its resemblance to horn. -- Coloq. Luna moth (Zoöl.), a very large and beautiful American moth (Actias luna). Its wings are delicate light green, with a stripe of purple along the front edge of the anterior wings, the other margins being edged with pale yellow. Each wing has a lunate spot surrounded by rings of light yellow, blue, and black. The caterpillar commonly feeds on the hickory, sassafras, and maple.

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Lunacy (?), n.; pl. Lunacies (#). [See .] 1. 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.
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Your kindred shuns your house
As beaten hence by your strange lunacy. Shak.
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2. A morbid suspension of good sense or judgment, as through fanaticism. Dr. H. More.

Syn. -- Derangement; craziness; mania. See .
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