Part 6589

<blockquote>We might conceive that dogs were created blind, because we observe they were <b>littered</b> so with us. <i>Sir T. Browne.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The son that she did <b>litter</b> here, A freckled whelp hagborn. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<hr> <page="861"> Page 861<p>

<h1>Litter</h1> <Xpage=861>

<hw>Lit"ter</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To be supplied with litter as bedding; to sleep or make one's bed in litter.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<blockquote>The inn Where he and his horse <b>littered</b>. <i>Habington.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To produce a litter.</def>

<blockquote>A desert . . . where the she-wolf still <b>littered</b>. <i>Macaulay.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Litterateur</h1> <Xpage=861>

<hw>Lit`te`ra`teur"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F.]</ety> <def>One who occupies himself with literature; a literary man; a literatus.</def> " Befriended by one kind-hearted <i>litt\'82rateur</i> after another."

<i>C. Kingsley.</i>

<h1>Littery</h1> <Xpage=861>

<hw>Lit"ter*y</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Covered or encumbered with litter; consisting of or constituting litter.</def>

<h1>Little</h1> <Xpage=861>

<hw>Lit"tle</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <wordforms>[The regular comparative of this word is wanting, its place being supplied by <it>less</it>, or, rarely, <it>lesser</it>. See <er>Lesser</er>. For the superlative <it>least</it> is used, the regular form, <it>littlest</it>, occurring very rarely, except in some of the English provinces, and occasionally in colloquial language. " Where love is great, the <b>littlest</b> doubts are fear." <i>Shak</i>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>litel</ets>, <ets>lutel</ets>, AS. <ets>l<?/tel</ets>, <ets>l\'c6tel</ets>, <ets>l<?/t</ets>; akin to OS. <ets>littil</ets>, D. <ets>luttel</ets>, LG. <ets>l\'81tt</ets>, OHG. <ets>luzzil</ets>, MHG. <ets>l\'81tzel</ets>; and perh. to AS. <ets>lytig</ets> deceitful, <ets>lot</ets> deceit, Goth. <ets>liuts</ets> deceitful, <ets>lut<?/n</ets> to deceive; cf. also Icel. <ets>l\'c6till</ets> little, Sw. <ets>liten</ets>, Dan. <ets>liden</ets>, <ets>lille</ets>, Goth. <ets>leitils</ets>, which appear to have a different root vowel.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Small in size or extent; not big; diminutive; -- opposed to <i>big</i> or <i>large</i>; <as>as, a <ex>little</ex> body; a <ex>little</ex> animal; a <ex>little</ex> piece of ground; a <ex>little</ex> hill; a <ex>little</ex> distance; a <ex>little</ex> child.</as></def>

<blockquote>He sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was <b>little</b> of stature. <i>Luke xix. 3.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Short in duration; brief; <as>as, a <ex>little</ex> sleep</as>.</def>

<blockquote>Best him enough: after a <b>little</b> time, I'll beat him too. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Small in quantity or amount; not much; <as>as, a <ex>little</ex> food; a <ex>little</ex> air or water.</as></def>

<blockquote>Conceited of their <b>little</b> wisdoms, and doting upon their own fancies. <i>Barrow.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Small in dignity, power, or importance; not great; insignificant; contemptible.</def>

<blockquote>When thou wast <b>little</b> in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes? <i>I Sam. xv. 17.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>Small in force or efficiency; not strong; weak; slight; inconsiderable; <as>as, <ex>little</ex> attention or exertion;<ex>little</ex> effort; <ex>little</ex> care or diligence.</as></def>

<blockquote>By sad experiment I know How <b>little</b> weight my words with thee can find. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>Small in extent of views or sympathies; narrow; shallow; contracted; mean; illiberal; ungenerous.</def>

<blockquote>The long-necked geese of the world that are ever hissing dispraise, Because their natures are <b>little</b>. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Little chief</col>. <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <cd>See <er>Chief hare</er>.</cd> -- <col>Little finger</col>, <cd>the fourth and smallest finger of the hand.</cd> -- <col>Little go</col> <fld>(Eng. Universities)</fld>, <cd>a public examination about the middle of the course, which as less strict and important than the final one; -- called also <altname>smalls</altname>. Cf. <i>Great go<i>, under <er>Great</er>. <i>Thackeray</i>.</cd> -- <col>Little hours</col> <fld>(R. C. Ch.)</fld>, <cd>the offices of prime, tierce, sext, and nones. Vespers and compline are sometimes included.</cd> -- <col>Little ones</col>, <cd>young children.</cd></cs>

<blockquote>The men, and the women, and the <b>little ones</b>. <i>Deut. ii. 34.</i></blockquote>