Part 679

Lic"o*rice (lk"*rs), n. [OE. licoris, through old French, fr. L. liquiritia, corrupted fr. glycyrrhiza, Gr. glyky`rriza; glyky`s sweet + "ri`za root. Cf. Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza, Wort.] [Written also liquorice.] 1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza (G. glabra), the root of which abounds with a sweet juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions.

2. The inspissated juice of licorice root, used as a confection and for medicinal purposes.

Licorice fern (Bot.), a name of several kinds of polypody which have rootstocks of a sweetish flavor. -- Licorice sugar. (Chem.) See Glycyrrhizin. -- Licorice weed (Bot.), the tropical plant Scapania dulcis. -- Mountain licorice (Bot.), a kind of clover (Trifolium alpinum), found in the Alps. It has large purplish flowers and a sweetish perennial rootstock. -- Wild licorice. (Bot.) (a) The North American perennial herb Glycyrrhiza lepidota. (b) Certain broad-leaved cleavers (Galium circæzans and G. lanceolatum). (c) The leguminous climber Abrus precatorius, whose scarlet and black seeds are called black-eyed Susans. Its roots are used as a substitute for those of true licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra).

Lic"o*rous (lk"*rs), a. See Lickerish. -- Lic"o*rous*ness, n. [Obs.] Herbert.

Lic"our (lk"r), n. Liquor. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Lic"tor (lk"tr), n. [L.] (Rom. Antiq.) An officer who bore an ax and fasces or rods, as ensigns of his office. His duty was to attend the chief magistrates when they appeared in public, to clear the way, and cause due respect to be paid to them, also to apprehend and punish criminals.

Lictors and rods, the ensigns of their power.

Milton.

Lid (ld), n. [AS. hlid, fr. hldan (in comp.) to cover, shut; akin to OS. hldan (in comp.), D. lid lid, OHG. hlit, G. augenlid eyelid, Icel. hlið gate, gateway. √40.]

1. That which covers the opening of a vessel or box, etc.; a movable cover; as, the lid of a chest or trunk.

2. The cover of the eye; an eyelid. Shak.

Tears, big tears, gushed from the rough soldier's lid.

Byron.

3. (Bot.) (a) The cover of the spore cases of mosses. (b) A calyx which separates from the flower, and falls off in a single piece, as in the Australian Eucalypti. (c) The top of an ovary which opens transversely, as in the fruit of the purslane and the tree which yields Brazil nuts.

Lid"ded (ld"dd), a. Covered with a lid. Keats.

Lidge (lj), n. Same as Ledge.[Obs.] Spenser.

Lid"less (ld"ls), a. Having no lid, or not covered with the lids, as the eyes; hence, sleepless; watchful.

A lidless watcher of the public weal.

Tennyson.

Lie (l), n. See Lye.

Lie (l), n. [AS. lyge; akin to D. leugen, OHG. lugi, G. lüge, lug, Icel. lygi, Dan. & Sw. lögn, Goth. liugn. See Lie to utter a falsehood.] 1. A falsehood uttered or acted for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with the intention to deceive.

The proper notion of a lie is an endeavoring to deceive another by signifying that to him as true, which we ourselves think not to be so.

S. Clarke.

It is willful deceit that makes a lie. A man may act a lie, as by pointing his finger in a wrong direction when a traveler inquires of him his road.

Paley.

2. A fiction; a fable; an untruth. Dryden.

3. Anything which misleads or disappoints.

Wishing this lie of life was o'er.