Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

The lowing herds wind slowly o'er the lea.

LEAD. n. 5. [lad, Saxon.]

Gray.

2. Lead is the heaviest metal except gold and quicksilver. Lead is the softest of all the metals, and very ductile, though less so than gold: it is very little subject to rust, and the least sonorous of all the metals except gold. The specifick gravity of lead is to that of water as 11,322 to 1000. Lead, when kept in fusion over a common fire, throws up all other bodies, except gold, that are mixed, all others being lighter, except Mercury, which will not bear that degree of heat: it afterwards vitrifies with the baser metals, and earries them off, in form of scoriæ, to the sides of the vessel. The weakest acids are the best solvents for lead: it dissolves very readily in aqua fortis diluted with water, as also in vinegar. The smoke of lead works is a prodigious annoyance, and subjects both the workmen, and the cattle that graze about them, to a mortal disease.

Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound Upon a wheel of fire; that mine own tears Do scald like molten lead.

Hill.

Shakspeare. Of lead, some I can shew you so like steel, and so unlike common lead ore, that the workmen call it steel ore. Boyle.

Lead is employed for the refining of gold and silver by the cupel; hereof is made common ceruss with vinegar; of ceruss, red lead; of plumbum ustum, the best yellow ochre; of lead, and half as much tin, solder for lead.

Grew.

2. [In the plural.] Flat roof to walk on; because houses are covered with lead.

Stalls, bulks, windows,

Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges hors'd
With variable complexions; all agreeing
In earnestness to see him.

leads upon the top, raised with statues interposed. Bacon.

To LEAD. v. a. [from the noun.] To fit with lead in any manner.

He fashioneth the clay with his arm, he applieth himself to lead it over; and he is diligent to make clean the furnace. Ecclesiasticus.

There is a traverse placed in a loft, at the right hand of the chair, with a privy door, and a carved window of glass leaded with gold and blue, where the mother sitteth.

Bacon.

To LEAD. v. a. preter. I led; part. led. [ladan, Saxon; leiden, Dutch.]

1. To guide by the hand.

There is a cliff, whose high and bending head Looks fearfully on the confined deep: Bring me but to the very brim of it, And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear, With something rich about me: from that place I shall no leading need. Shaksp. King Lear.

Doth not each on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

Luke.

'They thrust him out of the city, and led him

unto the brow of the hill.

Luke.

2. To conduct to any place.

Save to every man his wife and children, that they may lead them away, and depart. 1 Sam. Then brought he me out of the way, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate.

Ezekiel.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalms. 3. To conduct as head or commander. Would you lead forth your army against the enemy, and seek him where he is to fight? Spenser.

He turns head against the lion's armed jaws; And being no more in debt to years than thou, Leads antient lords, and rev'rend bishops, on To bloody battles. Shaksp. Henry IV. If thou wilt have The leading of thy own revenges, take One half of my commission, and set down As best thou art experienc'd. Shakspeare

He led me on to mightiest deeds, Above the nerve of mortal arm, Against the uncircumcis'd, our enemies: But now hath cast me off. Milton's Agonistes.

Christ took not upon him flesh and blood, that he might conquer and rule nations, lead armies, or possess places. South.

He might muster his family up, and lead them out against the Indians, to seek reparation upon any injury. Locke.

4. To introduce by going first.

Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in.

Numbers.

His guide, as faithful from that day, As Hesperus that leads the sun his way. Fairf. 5. To guide; to show the method of attaining.

Human testimony is not so proper to lead us into the knowledge of the essence of things, as to acquaint us with the existence of things. Watts. 6. To draw; to entice; to allure,

Appoint him a meeting, give him a shew of comfort, and lead him on with a fine baited delay. The lord Cottington, being a master of temSbakspeare. per, knew how to lead him into a mistake, and then drive him into choler, and then expose him.

Clarendon.

Shakspeare. 7. To induce; to prevail on by pleasing

I would have the tower two stories, and goodly

motives.

[blocks in formation]

The sweet woman leads an ill life with him. Shaksprare. So shalt thou lead Safest thy life, and best prepard endure The mortal passage when it comes. Milton. Him, fair Lavinia, thy surviving wife Shall breed in groves, to lead a solitary life.

Dryden. Luther's life was led up to the doctrines he preach'd, and his death was the death of the righteous. Fransis Atterbury. Celibacy, as then practised in the church of Rome, was commonly forced, taken up under a bold vow, and led in all uncleanness.

Francis Atterbury.

[blocks in formation]

1. One that leads, or conducts. 2. Captain; commander. In my tent I'll draw the form and model of our battle, Limit each leader to his several charge, And part in just proportion our small strength. Shakspeare.

I have given him for a leader and commander to the pe ple. Isaiah.

Those escaped by flight, not without a sharp jest against their leaders, affirming, that, as they had followed them into the field, so it was good reason they should follow them out. Hayward. When our Lycians see Our brave examples, they admiring say, Behold our gallant leaders.

Denbam

[blocks in formation]

LE ADWORT.n.s. [plumbago.] A plant. LEAF.n.s. leaves, plural. [leaf, Saxon; leef, Dutch.]

1. The green deciduous parts of plants and flowers.

This is the state of man; to-day he puts forth The tender leaves of hopes, to-inorrow blossoms. Shakspeere.

A man shall seldom fail of having cherries borne by his graft the same year in which his incision is made, if his graft have blossom buds; whereas if it were only leaf buds, it will not bear fruit till the second season. Boyle.

Those things which are removed to a distant view, ought to make but one mass; as the leaves on the trees, and the billows in the sea.

Dryden's Dufresnoy.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

4. Any thing foliated, or thinly beaten. Eleven ounces two pence sterling ought to be of so pure silver, as is called leaf silver, and then the melter must add of other weight seventeen Camden.

pence

as

halfpenny farthing. Leaf gold, that flies in the air as light as down, is as truly gold that in an ingot. Digby on Bodies. To LEAF. v. n. [from the noun.] To bring leaves; to bear leaves.

Most trees fall off the leaves at autumn; and if not kept back by cold, would leaf about the solstice. Brorun.

LEAFLESS. adj. [from leaf.] Naked of leaves.

Bare honesty, without some other adornment, being looked on as a leafless tree, nobody will take himself to its shelter. Gov. of the Tongue. Where doves in flocks the leafless trees o'ershade,

And lonely woodcocks haunt the wat'ry glade. Pope. LEAFY. adj. [from leaf.] Full of leaves. The frauds of men were ever so, Since summer was first leafy. Shakspeare. What chance, good lady, hath bereft you

thus?

-Dim darkness, and this leafy labyrinth. Milt.
O'er barren mountains, o'er the flow'ry plain,
The leafy forest, and the liquid main,
Extends thy uncontroul'd and boundless reign.
Dryden.

Her leafy arms with such extent were spread,
That hosts of birds, that wing the liquid air,
Perch'd in the boughs. Dryden's Flower and Leaf.
So when some swelt'ring travellers retire
To leafy shades, near the cool sunless verge
Of Paraba, Brasilian stream; her tail
A grisly hydra suddenly shoots forth. Philips.
LEAGUE. N. S. [ligue, Fr. ligo, Lat.] A
confederacy; a combination either of
interest or friendship.

You peers, continue this united league : I every day expect an embassage From my Redeemer, to redeem me hence. And now in peace my soul shall part to heav'n, Since I have made my friends at peace on earth. Shakspeare.

We come to be informed by yourselves, What the conditions of that league must be. Shakspeare.

Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

Job. Go break thy league with Baasha, that he may depart from me. 2 Chronicles.

It is a great error, and a narrowness of mind,
to think, that nations have nothing to do one
with another, except there be either an union in
scvereignty, or a conjunction in pacts or leagues:
there are other bands of society and implicit con-
federations.
Bacon's Holy War.

I, a private person, whom my country
As a league breaker gave up bound, presum'd
Single rebellion, and did hostile acts. Milton.

Oh Tyrians, with immortal hate
Pursue this hated race; and let there be
'Twixt us and them no league nor amity.

Denham.

TO LEAGUE. v. n. To unite on certain terms; to confederate.

Where fraud and falshood invade society, the band presently breaks, and men are put to a loss where to league and to fasten their dependances. South.

LEAGUE. n. S. [lieuë, Fr.]
1. A league; leuca, Lat. from lech, Welsh;
a stone that was used to be erected at
the end of every league.
Camden.

2. A measure of length, containing three
miles.

Ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues,
We were encount'red by a mighty rock. Shaksp.
Ev'n Italy, though many a league remote,
In distant echoes answer'd.
LEAGUED. adj. [from league.] Confe-
derated.

Addison.

[blocks in formation]

LE'AKY. adj. [from leak.] 1. Battered or pierced, so as to let water in or out.

Thou'rt so leaky, That we must leave thee to thy sinking; for Thy dearest quit thee. Shaksp. Ant. and Cleop. If you have not enjoy'd what youth could give, But life sunk through you like a laky sieve, Accuse yourself, you liv'd not while you might, Dryden

2. Loquacious; not close.

Women are so leaky, that I have hardly met with one that could not hold her breath longer than she could keep a secret. L'Estrange. To LEAN. v. n. preter. leanid or leant. [blinan, Saxon; lenen, Duren.] 1. To incline against; to res against.

Lean thine aged back against mine arm, And in that case I'll tell thee my disease. Shahs.

Security is expressed among the medals of

quors, those that are fat and light, and those that are lean and more earthy, like common water.

Burnet.

Gordianus, by a lady leaning against a pillar, a 3. Low; poor: in opposition to great or

scepter in her hand, before an altar.

Peacham on Drawing.

The columns may be allowed somewhat above their ordinary length, because they lean unto so good supporters. Wotton. Upon his iv'ry sceptre first he leant, Then shook his head, that shook the firmament. Dryden. Oppress'd with anguish, panting and o'erspent, His fainting limbs against an oak he leant. Dryden.

If God be angry, all our other dependencies will profit us nothing; every other support will fail under us when we come to lean upon it, and deceive us in the day when we want it most.

gers.

Then leaning o'er the rails he musing stood.
Gay.

'Mid the central depth of black'ning woods, High rais'd in solemn theatre around Leans the huge elephant.

2. To propend; to tend toward.

Thomson.

They delight rather to lean to their old customs, though they be more unjust, and more in

convenient.

Spenser.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and Lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs. A desire leaning to either side, biasses the judgment strangely.

3. To be in a bending posture.

Watts.

She leans me out at her mistress's chamber window, bids me a thousand times good night. Shakspeare. Wearied with length of ways, and worn with toil, She laid her down; and, leaning on her knees, Invok'd the cause of all her miseries. Dryden. The gods came downward to behold the wars, Sharp'ning their sights, and leaning from their Dryden.

stars.

LEAN. adj. [hlæne, Saxon.]

1. Not fat; meagre; wanting flesh; bareboned.

You tempt the fury of my three attendants, Lean famine, quartering steel, and climbing fire. Shakspeare.

Lian raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er sup-
pose,
They had such courage and audacity! Shaksp.
Luan-look'd prophets whisper fearful change.
Sbakspeare.

I would invent as bitter searching terins,
With full as many signs of deadly hate,
As lean-fac'd envy in her loathsome cave.

Shakspeare.

Seven other kine came up out of the river, illfavour'd and lean-fleshed.

Genesis.

Let a physician beware how he purge after hard frosty weather, and in a lean body, without preparation.

[blocks in formation]

To LEAP. v. n. [hleapan, Saxon; loup, Scottish.]

1. To jump; to move upward or progres. sively without change of the feet.

If I could win a lady at leap-frog, or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on, I should quickly leap into a wife. Sbakspeare's Henry v. A man leapeth better with weights in his hands than without; for that the weight, it it be proportionable, strengtheneth the sinews by contracting them. In leaping with weights, the arms are first cast backwards and then forwards with so much the greater force; for the hands go backward before they take their rise. Bacon.

[blocks in formation]

And on me, like a furious giant, leaps. Sandys.
Strait leaping from his horse he raised me up.

Bason. 3. To bound; to spring.

Ani fetch their precepts from the cynic tub, Praising the lean, and sallow, abstinence. Milton. Swear that Adrastus, and the lean-look'd prophet,

Dryden and Lee.

Are jont conspirators. Lear people often suffer for want of fat, as fat peoplemay by obstruction of the vessels.

Arbuthnot.

No'aughing graces wanton in my eyes; But higger'd grief, lean-looking sallow care, Dwellon my brow. Rorve's Jane Shore.

2. Notunctuous; thin; hungry,

There are two chief kinds of terrestrial li

Rorve.

Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy. Luke.

I am warm'd, my heart

Leaps at the trumpet's voice, and burns for glory. Addison.

[blocks in formation]

Every man is not of a constitution to leap a
gult for the saving of his country. L'Estrange.
As one condemn'd to leap a precipice,
Who sees before his eyes the depth below,
Stops short.

Dryden's Spanish Fryar.

She dares pursue, if they dare lead: As their example still prevails,

She tempts the stream, or leaps the pales. Prior.

2. To compress, as beasts.

Too soon they must not feel the sting of love: Let him not leap the cow. Dryden's Gearg. LEAP. n. s. [from the verb.] 1. Bound; jump; act of leaping. 2. Space passed by leaping.

After they have carried their riders safe over all leaps, and through all dangers, what comes of them in the end but to be broken-winded?

3. Sudden transition.

[blocks in formation]

Hast thou not learn'd me how L' Estrange.

Wickedness comes on by degrees, as well as virtue; and sudden leaps from one extreme to another are unnatural. L'Estrange.

The commons wrested even the power of chusing a king intirely out of the hands of the nobles; which was so great a leap, and caused such a convulsion in the state, that the constitution could not bear. Swift.

4. An assault of an animal of prey. The cat made a leap at the mouse.

5. Embrace of animals.

L'Estrange.

How she cheats her bellowing lover's eye; The rushing leap, the doubtful progeny. Dryden.

6. Hazard, or effect of leaping.

Methinks, it were an easy leap
To pluck bright honour from the pale-fac'd
Sbakspeare.
You take a precipice for no leap of danger,
And woo your own destruction.

moon.

To make perfumes?

TO LEARN. v. n. Το take pattern: with of:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for
I am meck and lowlv.
Mattbew.

In imitation of sounds, that Man should be the
teacher is no part of the matter; for birds will
learn one of another. Bacon's Natural History.
LEARNED. adj. [from learn.]
1. Versed in science and literature.

Locke.

It is indifferent to the matter in hand, which way the learned shall determine of it. Some by old words to fame have made pre

tence:

Such labour'd nothings, in so strange a style,
Amaze th' unlearn'd, and make the learned smile.
Popse
The learned met with free approach,
Although they came not in a coach.
Swift.
The best account is given of them by their own
authors: but I trust more to the table of the
Arbuthnot on Coins.

learned bishop of Bath. Sbakspeare.

Behold that dreadful downfal of a rock, Where yon old fisher views the waves from high! 'Tis the convenient leap I mean to try. Dryden. LEAP-FROG.n. s. [leap and frog.] A play of children, in which they imitate the jump of frogs.

If I could win a lady at leap-freg. I should quickly leap into a wife. Shakspeare's Hemy v. LEAP-YEAR. N. 5.

Leap-year or bissextile is every fourth year, and so called from its leaping a day more that year than in a common year: so that the common year has 365 days, but the leap-year 366; and then February hath 29 days, which in common years hath but 28. To find the leap-year you have this rule:

Divide by 4; what's left shall be

For leap-year 0: for past 1, 2, 3.

Harris.

The reason of the name of leap-year is, that a day of the week is missed; as, if on one year the first of March be on Monday, it will on the next year be on Tuesday, but on leap-year it will leap to Wednesday.

That the sun consisteth of 365 days and almost six hours, wanting eleven minutes; which six hours omitted will, in process of time, largely deprave the compute; and this is the occasion of the bissextile or leap-year. Brown.

To LEARN. v. a. [leonnian, Saxon.] 1. To gain the knowledge or skill of.

Learn a parable of the big-tree. Matthew. He, in a shorter time than was thought possible, learned both to speak and write the Arabian Knolles. tongue.

2. Skilled; skilful, knowing: with in.
Though train'd in arms, and learned in martial
Thou chusest not to conquer men but hearts.
Granville

arts,

3. Skilled in scholastick, as distinct from other knowledge.

Till a man can judge whether they be truths or no, his'understanding is but little improved: and thus men of much reading are greatly learned, but may be little knowing.

Locke. LEARNEDLY.adv. [from learned.] With knowledge; with skill.

The apostle seemed in his eyes but learnedly mad. Hooker

Much

He spoke, and learned'y, for life; but all
Was either pitied in him, or forgotten. Sbaks.
Ev'ry coxcemb swears as learnedly as they.

Swift.

LEARNING.n.s. [from learn.]
1. Literature; skill in languages or sci-
ences; generally scholastick know-
ledge.

Learning hath its infancy, when it is almost childish; then its youth, when luxuriant and juvenile; then its strength of years, when solid; and, lastly, its old age, when dry and exhaust.

Bacon.

To tongue or pudding thou hast no pretence, Learning thy talent is, but mine is sense. Prior. As Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, so it is manifest from this chapter, that St. Paul was a great master in all the learning of the Greeks. Bentley

Learn, wretches! learn the motions of the mind,
And the great moral end of human kind. Dryd. 2. Skill in any thing good or bad.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »