Part 615

Pope.

Lawnd (lnd), n. [Obs.] See Laund.

Lawn"y (ln"), a. Having a lawn; characterized by a lawn or by lawns; like a lawn.

Musing through the lawny park.

T. Warton.

Lawn"y, a. Made of lawn or fine linen. Bp. Hall.

Law*so"ni*a (?), n. (Bot.) An Asiatic and North African shrub (Lawsonia inermis), with smooth oval leaves, and fragrant white flowers. Henna is prepared from the leaves and twigs. In England the shrub is called Egyptian privet, and in the West Indies, Jamaica mignonette.

Law"suit` (?), n. An action at law; a suit in equity or admiralty; any legal proceeding before a court for the enforcement of a claim.

Law"yer (?), n. [From Law, like bowyer, fr. bow.] 1. One versed in the laws, or a practitioner of law; one whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients, or to advise as to prosecution or defence of lawsuits, or as to legal rights and obligations in other matters. It is a general term, comprehending attorneys, counselors, solicitors, barristers, sergeants, and advocates.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) The black-necked stilt. See Stilt. (b) The bowfin (Amia calva). (c) The burbot (Lota maculosa).

{ Law"yer*like` (?), Law"yer*ly (?), } a. Like, or becoming, a lawyer; as, lawyerlike sagacity. "Lawyerly mooting of this point." Milton.

Lax (lks), a. [Compar. Laxer (-r); superl. Laxest.] [L. laxus Cf. Laches, Languish, Lease, v. t., Leash.] 1. Not tense, firm, or rigid; loose; slack; as, a lax bandage; lax fiber.

The flesh of that sort of fish being lax and spongy.

Ray.

2. Not strict or stringent; not exact; loose; weak; vague; equivocal.

The discipline was lax.

Macaulay.

Society at that epoch was lenient, if not lax, in matters of the passions.

J. A. Symonds.

The word "æternus" itself is sometimes of a lax signification.

Jortin.

3. Having a looseness of the bowels; diarrheal.

Syn. -- Loose; slack; vague; unconfined; unrestrained; dissolute; licentious.

Lax, n. A looseness; diarrhea.

Lax*a"tion (?), n. [L. laxatio, fr. laxare to loosen, fr. laxus loose, slack.] The act of loosening or slackening, or the state of being loosened or slackened.

Lax"a*tive (?), a. [L. laxativus mitigating, assuaging: cf. F. laxatif. See Lax, a.] 1. Having a tendency to loosen or relax. Milton.

2. (Med.) Having the effect of loosening or opening the intestines, and relieving from constipation; -- opposed to astringent. -- n. (Med.) A laxative medicine. See the Note under Cathartic.

Lax"a*tive*ness, n. The quality of being laxative.