Part 625

2. A stone erected near a public road to mark the distance of a league. [Obs.]

League (?), n. [F. ligue, LL. liga, fr. L. ligare to bind; cf. Sp. liga. Cf. Ally a confederate, Ligature.] An alliance or combination of two or more nations, parties, or persons, for the accomplishment of a purpose which requires a continued course of action, as for mutual defense, or for furtherance of commercial, religious, or political interests, etc.

And let there be 'Twixt us and them no league, nor amity.

Denham.

A league may be offensive or defensive, or both; offensive, when the parties agree to unite in attacking a common enemy; defensive, when they agree to a mutual defense of each other against an enemy.

The Holy League, an alliance of Roman Catholics formed in 1576 by influence of the Duke of Guise for the exclusion of Protestants from the throne of France. -- Solemn League and Covenant. See Covenant,2. -- The land league, an association, organized in Dublin in 1879, to promote the interests of the Irish tenantry, its avowed objects being to secure fixity of tenure, fair rent, and free sale of the tenants' interest. It was declared illegal by Parliament, but vigorous prosecutions have failed to suppress it.

Syn. -- Alliance; confederacy; confederation; coalition; combination; compact; coöperation.

League (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leagued (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leaguing (?).] [Cf. F. se liguer. See 2d League.] To unite in a league or confederacy; to combine for mutual support; to confederate. South.

League, v. t. To join in a league; to cause to combine for a joint purpose; to combine; to unite; as, common interests will league heterogeneous elements.

Lea"guer, n. [D. leger camp, bed, couch, lair. See Lair, and cf.Beleaguer.] 1. The camp of a besieging army; a camp in general. b. Jonson.

2. A siege or beleaguering. [R.] Sir W. Scott.

Lea"guer, v. t. To besiege; to beleaguer. [Obs.]

Lea"guer*er (?), n. A besieger. [R.] J. Webster.

Leak (?), n. [Akin to D. lek leaky, a leak, G. leck, Icel. lekr leaky, Dan. læk leaky, a leak, Sw. läck; cf. AS. hlec full of cracks or leaky. Cf. Leak, v.] 1. A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape; as, a leak in a roof; a leak in a boat; a leak in a gas pipe. "One leak will sink a ship." Bunyan.

2. The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the ship's pumps.

To spring a leak, to open or crack so as to let in water; to begin to let in water; as, the ship sprung a leak.

Leak, a. Leaky. [Obs.] Spenser.

Leak, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leaking.] [Akin to D. lekken, G. lecken, lechen, Icel. leka, Dan. lække, Sw. läcka, AS. leccan to wet, moisten. See Leak, n.] 1. To let water or other fluid in or out through a hole, crevice, etc.; as, the cask leaks; the roof leaks; the boat leaks.

2. To enter or escape, as a fluid, through a hole, crevice, etc.; to pass gradually into, or out of, something; -- usually with in or out.

To leak out, to be divulged gradually or clandestinely; to become public; as, the facts leaked out.

Leak"age (&?;), n. [Cf. D. lekkage, for sense 1.] 1. A leaking; also, the quantity that enters or issues by leaking.

2. (Com.) An allowance of a certain rate per cent for the leaking of casks, or waste of liquors by leaking.

Leak"i*ness (?), n. The quality of being leaky.

Leak"y (?), a. [Compar. Leakier (?); superl. Leakiest.] 1. Permitting water or other fluid to leak in or out; as, a leaky roof or cask.

2. Apt to disclose secrets; tattling; not close. [Colloq.]

Leal (?), a. [OE. leial, another form of loial, F. loyal. See Loyal.] Faithful; loyal; true.

All men true and leal, all women pure.

Tennyson.