Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LEER, v.i. [D. gluuern, begluuren.]

1. To look obliquely; to turn the eye and cast a look from a corner, either in contempt, defiance or frowning, or for a sly look. Swift.
2. To look with a forced countenance. Dryden.

LEER, v.t.

To allure with smiles. Dryden.

LEER'ED, pp.

Looked obliquely; allured by smiles.

LEER'ING, ppr.

Looking obliquely; casting a look as askance.

LEER'ING-LY, adv.

With an arch oblique look or smile.

LEES, n. [Fr. lie; Arm. ly; probably a contracted word. It is used in the plural only.]

The grosser parts of any liquor which have settled on the bottom of a vessel; dregs; sediment; as, the lees of wine.

LEESE, v.i.

To lose. [Obs. See Lose.] B. Jonson.

LEESE, v.t. [L. laesus.]

To hurt. [Obs.] Wickliffe.

LEE'-SHORE, n.

The shore under the lee of a ship, or that toward which the wind blows.

LEE'-SIDE, n.

The side of a ship or boat furthest from the point whence the wind blows; opposed to the weather-side.

LEET, n.

In Great Britain, a court. The court-leet or view of frankpledge, is a court of record held once a year and not oftener, within a particular hundred, lordship or manor, before the steward of the leet. Its original intent was to view the frankpledges or freemen within the liberty, to preserve the peace, and punish certain minute offenses. All freeholders within the precinct are obliged to attend this court. Blackstone. The court-leet is for the most part superseded by the county court.

LEET'-ALE, n.

A feast or merry-making in the time of leet. Eng.

LEE'-TIDE, n.

A tide running in the same direction that the wind blows. A tide under the Ice, is a stream in an opposite direction to the wind.

LEE'WARD, a.

Pertaining to the part toward which the wind blows; as a leeward ship.

LEE'WARD, adv.

Toward the lee, or that part toward which the wind blows; opposed to windward; as, fall to leeward.

LEE'WAY, n.

The lateral movement of a ship to the lee-ward of her course, or the angle which the line of her way makes with her keel, when she is close-hauled. Mar. Dict.

LEFT, pret.

and pp. of Leave.

LEFT, a. [L. laevus; Gr. {foreign}, Hesych. {foreign}; probably from the root of leave, Gr. {foreign}, and properly weak, deficient. Applied to the hand or arm, it denotes the weak arm, as opposed to the right, the strong or dextrous. Hence the ancient idea of sinister, unfortunate, attached to the left arm or side.]

1. Denoting the part opposed to the right of the body; as, the left hand, arm or side. Hence, the noun being omitted, we say, on the left, that is, on the left side or wing, as of an army.
2. The left bank of a river, is that which is on the left hand of a person whose face is toward the mouth of the river.

LEFT-HAND'ED, a.

1. Having the left hand or arm more strong and dextrous than the right; using the left hand and arm with more dexterity than the right.
2. Unlucky; inauspicious; unseasonable. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

LEFT-HAND'ED-NESS, n.

Habitual use of the left hand, or rather the ability to use the left hand with more ease and strength than the right.

LEFT-HAND'I-NESS, n.

Awkwardness. Chesterfield.

LEG, n. [Dan. laeg; It. lacca.]

1. The limb of an animal, used in supporting the body and in walking and running; properly, that part of the limb from the knee to the foot, but in a more general sense, the whole limb, including the thigh, the leg and the foot.
2. The long or slender support of any thing; as, the leg of a table. To make a leg, to bow; a phrase introduced probably by the practice of drawing the right leg backward. [Little used.] Locke. Swift. To stand on one's own legs, to support one's self; to trust to one's own strength or efforts without aid.

LEG'A-CY, n. [Sp. legado; Fr. legs; L. legatum, from lego, to send, to bequeath; Eth. {foreign} laka, Ar. {foreign} alaka, to send. Class Lg, No I.]

A bequest; a particular thing, or certain sum of money given by last will or testament. Good counsel is the best legacy a father can leave to his child. L'Estrange.

LEG'A-CY-HUNT-ER, n.

One who flatters and courts for legacies.

LE'GAL, a. [Fr.; from L. legalis, from lex, legis, law.]

1. According to law; in conformity with law; as, a legal standard or test; a legal procedure.
2. Lawful; permitted by law; as, a legal trade. Any thing is legal which the laws do not forbid.
3. According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation. Scott. Milton.
4. Pertaining to law; created by law. The exception must be confined to legal crimes. Paley. So we use the phrase, criminal law.