Part 675

He was repeatedly provoked into striking those who had taken liberties with him.

Macaulay.

8. The power of choice; freedom from necessity; freedom from compulsion or constraint in willing.

The idea of liberty is the idea of a power in any agent to do or forbear any particular action, according to the determination or thought of the mind, whereby either of them is preferred to the other.

Locke.

This liberty of judgment did not of necessity lead to lawlessness.

J. A. Symonds.

9. (Manege) A curve or arch in a bit to afford room for the tongue of the horse.

10. (Naut.) Leave of absence; permission to go on shore.

At liberty. (a) Unconfined; free. (b) At leisure. -- Civil liberty, exemption from arbitrary interference with person, opinion, or property, on the part of the government under which one lives, and freedom to take part in modifying that government or its laws. -- Liberty bell. See under Bell. -- Liberty cap. (a) The Roman pileus which was given to a slave at his manumission. (b) A limp, close- fitting cap with which the head of representations of the goddess of liberty is often decked. It is sometimes represented on a spear or a liberty pole. -- Liberty of the press, freedom to print and publish without official supervision. Liberty party, the party, in the American Revolution, which favored independence of England; in more recent usage, a party which favored the emancipation of the slaves. -- Liberty pole, a tall flagstaff planted in the ground, often surmounted by a liberty cap. [U. S.] -- Moral liberty, that liberty of choice which is essential to moral responsibility. -- Religious liberty, freedom of religious opinion and worship.

Syn. -- Leave; permission; license. -- Liberty, Freedom. These words, though often interchanged, are distinct in some of their applications. Liberty has reference to previous restraint; freedom, to the simple, unrepressed exercise of our powers. A slave is set at liberty; his master had always been in a state of freedom. A prisoner under trial may ask liberty (exemption from restraint) to speak his sentiments with freedom (the spontaneous and bold utterance of his feelings). The liberty of the press is our great security for freedom of thought.

Li*beth"en*ite (l*bth"n*t), n. [From Libethen, in Hungary, where it was first found.] (Min.) A mineral of an olive-green color, commonly in orthorhombic crystals. It is a hydrous phosphate of copper.

Li*bid"i*nist (l*bd"*nst), n. [See Libidinous.] One given to lewdness.

Li*bid`i*nos"i*ty (-ns"*t), n. The state or quality of being libidinous; libidinousness. Skelton.

Li*bid"i*nous (-ns), a. [L. libidinosus, fr. libido, libidinis, pleasure, desire, lust, fr. libet, lubet, it pleases: cf. F. libidineux. See Lief.] Having lustful desires; characterized by lewdness; sensual; lascivious. -- Li*bid"i*nous*ly, adv. -- Li*bid"i*nous*ness, n.

Syn. -- Lewd; lustful; lascivious; unchaste; impure; sensual; licentious; lecherous; salacious.

{ Lib"ken (lb"kn), Lib"kin (lb"kn), } n. [AS. libban, E. live, v. i. + -kin.] A house or lodging. [Old Slang] B. Jonson.

||Li"bra (l"br), n.; pl. Libræ (l"br). [L., a balance.] (Astron.) (a) ||The Balance; the seventh sign in the zodiac, which the sun enters at ||the autumnal equinox in September, marked thus in almanacs, etc. (b ) ||A southern constellation between Virgo and Scorpio. || Li"bral (l"bral), a. [L. libralis, fr. libra the Roman pound.] Of a pound weight. [Obs.] Johnson.

Li*bra"ri*an (l*br"r*an), n. [See Library.] 1. One who has the care or charge of a library.

2. One who copies manuscript books. [Obs.] Broome.

Li*bra"ri*an*ship, n. The office of a librarian.

Li"bra*ry (l"br*r), n.; pl. Libraries (- rz). [OE. librairie, F. librairie bookseller's shop, book trade, formerly, a library, fr. libraire bookseller, L. librarius, from liber book; cf. libraria bookseller's shop, librarium bookcase, It. libreria. See Libel.] 1. A considerable collection of books kept for use, and not as merchandise; as, a private library; a public library.

2. A building or apartment appropriated for holding such a collection of books. Holland.

Li"brate (l"brt), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Librated (l"br*td); p. pr. & vb. n. Librating.] [L. libratus, p. p. of librare to balance, to make even, fr. libra. Cf. Level, Deliberate, Equilibrium.] To vibrate as a balance does before resting in equilibrium; hence, to be poised.

Their parts all librate on too nice a beam.

Clifton.

Li"brate, v. t. To poise; to balance.

Li*bra"tion (l*br"shn), n. [L. libratio: cf. F. libration.] 1. The act or state of librating. Jer. Taylor.