Webster's Dictionary 1913

1027

Lawsuit

Law″suit′ (?), n. An action at law; a suit in equity or admiralty; any legal proceeding before a court for the enforcement of a claim.

1028

Lawyer

Law″yer (?), n. [From Law, like bowyer, fr. bow.] 1. One versed in the laws, or a practitioner of law; one whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients, or to advise as t...

1029

Lawyerlike

{ Law″yer‐like′ (?), Law″yer‐ly (?), } a. Like, or becoming, a lawyer; as, lawyerlike sagacity. “Lawyerly mooting of this point.” Milton.

1030

Lax

Lax (lăks), a. [Compar.Laxer (–ẽr); superl.Laxest.] [L. laxus Cf. Laches, Languish, Lease, v. t., Leash.] 1. Not tense, firm, or rigid; loose; slack; as, a lax bandage; lax fibe...

1031

Lax (2)

Lax, n. A looseness; diarrhea.

1032

Laxation

Lax‐a″tion (?), n. [L. laxatio, fr. laxare to loosen, fr. laxus loose, slack.] The act of loosening or slackening, or the state of being loosened or slackened.

1033

Laxative

Lax″a‐tive (?), a. [L. laxativus mitigating, assuaging: cf. F. laxatif. See Lax, a.] 1. Having a tendency to loosen or relax. Milton.2. (Med.) Having the effect of loosening or ...

1034

Laxativeness

Lax″a‐tive‐ness, n. The quality of being laxative.

1035

Laxator

‖Lax‐a″tor (?), n. [NL., fr. L. laxare, laxatum, to loosen.] (Anat.) That which loosens; — esp., a muscle which by its contraction loosens some part.

1036

Laxity

Lax″i‐ty (lăks″ĭ‐ty̆), n. [L. laxitas, fr. laxus loose, slack: cf. F. laxité, See Lax, a.] The state or quality of being lax; want of tenseness, strictness, or exactness.

1037

Laxly

Lax″ly, adv. In a lax manner.

1038

Laxness

Lax″ness, n. The state of being lax; laxity.

1039

Lay

Lay (?), imp. of Lie, to recline.

1040

Lay (2)

Lay, a. [F. lai, L. laicus, Gr. � of or from the people, lay, from �, �, people. Cf. Laic.] 1. Of or pertaining to the laity, as distinct from the clergy; as, a lay person; a la...

1041

Lay (3)

Lay (?), n. The laity; the common people.The learned have no more privilege than the lay. B. Jonson.

1042

Lay (4)

Lay, n. A meadow. See Lea. Dryden.

1043

Lay (5)

Lay, n. [OF. lei faith, law, F. loi law. See Legal.] 1. Faith; creed; religious profession.Of the sect to which that he was bornHe kept his lay, to which that he was sworn. Chau...

1044

Lay (6)

Lay (?), a. [OF. lai, lais, prob. of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. laoi, laoidh, song, poem, OIr. laoidh poem, verse; but cf. also AS. lāc play, sport, G. leich a sort of poem (cf. Lak...

1045

Lay (7)

Lay (lā), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Laid (lād); p. pr. & vb. n.Laying.] [OE. leggen, AS. lecgan, causative, fr. licgan to lie; akin to D. leggen, G. legen, Icel. leggja, Goth. lagjan. ...

1046

Lay (8)

Lay, v. i. 1. To produce and deposit eggs.2. (Naut.) To take a position; to come or go; as, to lay forward; to lay aloft.3. To lay a wager; to bet.To lay about, orTo lay about o...

1047

Lay (9)

Lay (?), n. 1. That which lies or is laid or is conceived of as having been laid or placed in its position; a row; a stratum; a layer; as, a lay of stone or wood. Addison.A viol...

1048

Lay reader

Lay″ read″er. (Eccl.) A layman authorized to read parts of the public service of the church.

1049

Lay shaft

{ Lay shaft, orLay″shaft′ } (?), n.(Mach.) A secondary shaft, as in a sliding change gear for an automobile; a cam shaft operated by a two-to-one gear in an internal-combustion ...

1050

Layer

Lay″er (?), n. [See Lay to cause to lie flat.] 1. One who, or that which, lays.2. [Prob. a corruption of lair.] That which is laid; a stratum; a bed; one thickness, course, or f...

1051

Layering

Lay″er‐ing, n. A propagating by layers. Gardner.

1052

Layette

Lay‐ette″ (?), n.(Med.) The outfit of clothing, blankets, etc., prepared for a newborn infant, and placed ready for used.

1053

Laying

Lay″ing (?), n.1. The act of one who, or that which, lays.2. The act or period of laying eggs; the eggs laid for one incubation; a clutch.3. The first coat on laths of plasterer...