Part 669

Acts xvii. 5.

Too lewd to work, and ready for any kind of mischief.

Southey.

3. Given to the promiscuous indulgence of lust; dissolute; lustful; libidinous. Dryden.

4. Suiting, or proceeding from, lustfulness; involving unlawful sexual desire; as, lewd thoughts, conduct, or language.

Syn. -- Lustful; libidinous; licentious; profligate; dissolute; sensual; unchaste; impure; lascivious; lecherous; rakish; debauched.

-- Lewd"ly, adv. -- Lewd"ness, n.

Lewd"ster (-str), n. A lewd person. [Obs.] Shak.

{ Lew"is (l"s), Lew"is*son (- sn), } n. 1. An iron dovetailed tenon, made in sections, which can be fitted into a dovetail mortise; -- used in hoisting large stones, etc.

2. A kind of shears used in cropping woolen cloth.

Lewis hole, a hole wider at the bottom than at the mouth, into which a lewis is fitted. De Foe.

||Lex (lks), n.; pl. Leges (l"jz). [L. See Legal.] Law; as, lex ||talionis, the law of retaliation; lex terræ, the law of the land; lex ||fori, the law of the forum or court; lex loci, the law of the place; ||lex mercatoria, the law or custom of merchants. || Lex"ic*al (-*kal), a. Of or pertaining to a lexicon, to lexicography, or words; according or conforming to a lexicon. -- Lex"ic*al*ly, adv.

Lex`i*cog"ra*pher (- *kg"r*fr), n. [Gr. lexikogra`fos; lexiko`n dictionary + gra`fein to write: cf. F. lexicographe. See Lexicon.] The author or compiler of a lexicon or dictionary.

Every other author may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach; and even this negative recompense has been yet granted to very few.

Johnson.

{ Lex`i*co*graph"ic (-k*grf"k), Lex`i*co*graph"ic*al (-*kal), } a. [Cf. F. lexicographique.] Of or pertaining to, or according to, lexicography. -- Lex`i*co*graph"ic*al*ly, adv.

Lex`i*cog"ra*phist (-kg"r*fst), n. A lexicographer. [R.] Southey.

Lex`i*cog"ra*phy (-f), n. [Cf. F. lexicographie.] The art, process, or occupation of making a lexicon or dictionary; the principles which are applied in making dictionaries.

Lex`i*col"o*gist (-kl"*jst), n. One versed in lexicology.

Lex`i*col"o*gy (-j), n. [Gr. lexiko`n lexicon + -logy: cf. F. lexicologie.] The science of the derivation and signification of words; that branch of learning which treats of the signification and application of words.

Lex"i*con (lks"*kn), n. [Gr. lexiko`n (sc. bibli`on), neut. of lexiko`s of or belonging to words, fr. le`xis a speaking, speech, a way of speaking, a single word or phrase, fr. le`gein to say, to speak. See Legend.] A vocabulary, or book containing an alphabetical arrangement of the words in a language or of a considerable number of them, with the definition of each; a dictionary; especially, a dictionary of the Greek, Hebrew, or Latin language.

Lex"i*con*ist, n. A writer of a lexicon. [R.]

Lex`i*graph"ic (-grf"k), a. [Cf. F. lexigraphique.] Of or pertaining to lexigraphy.

Lex*ig"ra*phy (lks*g"r*f), n. [Gr. le`xis word + -graphy: cf. F. lexigraphie.] The art or practice of defining words; definition of words.

Lex`i*phan"ic (lks`*fn"k), a. [Gr. lexifa`nis a phrase monger; le`xis speech + fai`nein to show.] Using, or interlarded with, pretentious words; bombastic; as, a lexiphanic writer or speaker; lexiphanic writing.

Lex`i*phan"i*cism (-*sz'm), n. The use of pretentious words, language, or style.

Lex`i*phar"mic (-fär"mk), a. See Alexipharmic.

Ley (l), v. t. & i. To lay; to wager. [Obs.] Chaucer.