Part 574

Lam*poon", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lampooned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lampooning.] To subject to abusive ridicule expressed in writing; to make the subject of a lampoon.

Ribald poets had lampooned him.

Macaulay.

Syn. -- To libel; defame; satirize; lash.

Lam*poon"er (?), n. The writer of a lampoon. "Libelers, lampooners, and pamphleteers." Tatler.

Lam*poon"ry (?), n. The act of lampooning; a lampoon, or lampoons.

Lamp"-post` (?), n. A post (generally a pillar of iron) supporting a lamp or lantern for lighting a street, park, etc.

Lam"prel (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Lamprey.

Lam"prey (?), n.; pl. Lampreys (#). [OE. lampreie, F. lamproie, LL. lampreda, lampetra, from L. lambere to lick + petra rock, stone. The lampreys are so called because they attach themselves with their circular mouths to rocks and stones, whence they are also called rocksuckers. See Lap to drink, Petrify.] (Zoöl.) An eel-like marsipobranch of the genus Petromyzon, and allied genera. The lampreys have a round, sucking mouth, without jaws, but set with numerous minute teeth, and one to three larger teeth on the palate (see Illust. of Cyclostomi). There are seven small branchial openings on each side. [Written also lamper eel, lamprel, and lampron.]

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The common or sea lamprey of America and Europe (Petromyzon marinus), which in spring ascends rivers to spawn, is considered excellent food by many, and is sold as a market fish in some localities. The smaller river lampreys mostly belong to the genus Ammocœles, or Lampetra, as A. fluviatilis, of Europe, and A. æpypterus of America. All lampreys attach themselves to other fishes, as parasites, by means of the suckerlike mouth.

Lam"pron (lm"prn), n. [Cf. OE. lampreon. See Lamprey.] (Zoöl.) See Lamprey.

Lam*py"rine (?), n. [See Lampyris.] (Zoöl.) An insect of the genus Lampyris, or family Lampyridæ. See Lampyris.

||Lam*py"ris (?), n. [L., glowworm, Gr. (&?;).] (Zoöl.) A genus of ||coleopterous insects, including the glowworms. || Lan"ark*ite (?), n. [From Lanarkshire, a county in Scotland.] (Min.) A mineral consisting of sulphate of lead, occurring either massive or in long slender prisms, of a greenish white or gray color.

La"na*ry (?), n. [L. lanaria, fr. lanarius belonging to wool, lana wool.] A place for storing wool.

{ La"nate (?), La"na*ted (?), } [L. lanatus, fr. lana wool, down.] Wooly; covered with fine long hair, or hairlike filaments.

Lan"ca*shire boil"er (?). A steam boiler having two flues which contain the furnaces and extend through the boiler from end to end.

Lan`cas*te"ri*an (?), a. Of or pertaining to the monitorial system of instruction followed by Joseph Lancaster, of England, in which advanced pupils in a school teach pupils below them.

Lance (lns), n. [OE. lance, F. lance, fr. L. lancea; cf. Gr. lo`gchh. Cf. Launch.] 1. A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen, and often decorated with a small flag; also, a spear or harpoon used by whalers and fishermen.

A braver soldier never couched lance.

Shak.

2. A soldier armed with a lance; a lancer.

3. (Founding) A small iron rod which suspends the core of the mold in casting a shell.

4. (Mil.) An instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home.

5. (Pyrotech.) One of the small paper cases filled with combustible composition, which mark the outlines of a figure.

Free lance, in the Middle Ages, and subsequently, a knight or roving soldier, who was free to engage for any state or commander that purchased his services; hence, a person who assails institutions or opinions on his own responsibility without regard to party lines or deference to authority. -- Lance bucket (Cavalry), a socket attached to a saddle or stirrup strap, in which to rest the but of a lance. -- Lance corporal, same as Lancepesade. -- Lance knight, a lansquenet. B. Jonson. -- Lance snake (Zoöl.), the fer-de-lance. -- Stink-fire lance (Mil.), a kind of fuse filled with a composition which burns with a suffocating odor; -- used in the counter operations of miners. -- To break a lance, to engage in a tilt or contest.

Lance, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lanced (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Lancing (?).] 1. To pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.

Seized the due victim, and with fury lanced Her back.