Part 596

Lash"er (?), n. One who whips or lashes.

Lash"er, n. 1. A piece of rope for binding or making fast one thing to another; -- called also lashing.

2. A weir in a river. [Eng.] Halliwell.

Lash"ing, n. The act of one who, or that which, lashes; castigation; chastisement. South.

Lashing out, a striking out; also, extravagance.

Lash"ing, n. See 2d Lasher.

Lask (?), n. A diarrhea or flux. [Obs.] Holland.

Las"ket (?), n. [Cf. Lash, Latching.] (Naut.) latching.

Lass (ls), n. [OE. lasse; prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. llodes girl, fem. of llawd lad. √123. See Lad a youth.] A young woman; a girl; a sweetheart.

Lasse (?), a. & adv. Less. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Las"sie (?), n. A young girl; a lass. [Scot.]

Las"si*tude (?), n. [L. lassitudo, fr. lassus faint, weary; akin to E. late: cf. F. lassitude. See Late.] A condition of the body, or mind, when its voluntary functions are performed with difficulty, and only by a strong exertion of the will; languor; debility; weariness.

The corporeal instruments of action being strained to a high pitch . . . will soon feel a lassitude.

Barrow.

Lass"lorn` (?), a. Forsaken by a lass. Shak.

Lass"o (ls"s) n.; pl. Lassos (-sz). [Sp. lazo, L. laqueus. See Lace.] A rope or long thong of leather with a running noose, used for catching horses, cattle, etc.

Lasso cell (Zoöl.), one of a peculiar kind of defensive and offensive stinging cells, found in great numbers in all cœlenterates, and in a few animals of other groups. They are most highly developed in the tentacles of jellyfishes, hydroids, and Actiniæ. Each of these cells is filled with, fluid, and contains a long, slender, often barbed, hollow thread coiled up within it. When the cell contracts the thread is quickly ejected, being at the same time turned inside out. The thread is able to penetrate the flesh of various small, soft-bodied animals, and carries a subtle poison by which they are speedily paralyzed and killed. The threads, at the same time, hold the prey in position, attached to the tentacles. Some of the jellyfishes, as the Portuguese man-of-war, and Cyanea, are able to penetrate the human skin, and inflict painful stings in the same way. Called also nettling cell, cnida, cnidocell.

Las"so, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lassoed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lassoing.] To catch with a lasso.

Last (?), 3d pers. sing. pres. of Last, to endure, contracted from lasteth. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Last (&?;), a. [OE. last, latst, contr. of latest, superl. of late; akin to OS. lezt, lazt, last, D. laatst, G. letzt. See Late, and cf. Latest.] 1. Being after all the others, similarly classed or considered, in time, place, or order of succession; following all the rest; final; hindmost; farthest; as, the last year of a century; the last man in a line of soldiers; the last page in a book; his last chance.

Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God.

Neh. viii. 18.

Fairest of stars, last in the train of night.

Milton.

2. Next before the present; as, I saw him last week.

3. Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.

Contending for principles of the last importance.

R. Hall.