lamiter 
Though ye may think him a lamiter, yet, grippie for 
grippie, friend, I'll wad a wether he'll gar the blude spin 
frae under your nails. Scott, Black Dwarf, xvii. 
You have now, no doubt, friends who will look after you, 
and not suffer you to devote yourself to a blind lameter 
like me? Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, xxxvii. 
Lamium (la'mi-um), n. [NL. (Linnseus), < L. 
lamium, the dead-nettle.] A genus of labiate 
plants of the tribe Stacliydeai, type of the sub- 
tribe Lamiece, with nearly equal, not acerose 
calyx-teeth, the corolla-tube rarely exserted, 
the anther-cells generally parallel, and the nut- 
lets angled and truncated at the apex. They are 
annual or perennial herbs, often diffuse or decumbent 
at the base, with cordate toothed or incised leaves, and 
densely many-flowered whorls of flowers crowded at the 
summit of the stem. The irregular galeate flowers are 
sometimes large, and generally pink or purple, sometimes 
white or even yellow. There are nearly 40 species of 
these plants, inhabiting Europe, northern Africa, and ex- 
tratropical Asia. Several species are common as weeds 
in waste ground, and some are occasionally cultivated in 
gardens. They are all known by the name of dead-nettle or 
hedge dead-nettle. The best-known species are the white- 
flowered L. album, the pink- or purple-flowered L. pur- 
pureum, L. amplexicaule, and L. maculatum, and the yel- 
low-flowered L. Galeobdolon. 
lamm 1 , v . t. See lam 1 . 
lamm'-'t, n. An obsolete variant of lame s . 
Lammas (latn'as), . [< ME. lammasse, < AS. 
hlammassse, a later assimilated form of hlaf- 
m&sse, lit. 'loaf-mass,' i. e. 'bread-feast' (see 
def.),<7?a/;ioaf,bread,+ m<me,mass: see loaf 1 
and mass 1 .} 1. Originally, in England, the fes- 
tival of the wheat-harvest, observed on the 1st 
of August, corresponding to the 12th in the mod- 
ern calendar. It is supposed to have taken its name 
from the practice of offering first-fruits at the service of 
the mass on that day, in the form of loaves of bread. The 
festival was a continuation of a similar one from pagan 
times. Some have supposed, erroneously, that the name 
has some connection with the word lamb. 
And to the lammasse afterward he spousede the quene. 
Rob. of Gloucester, p. 317. 
2. In Great Britain, the 1st of August as a 
date, which in Scotland is a quarter-day and 
in England a half-quarter-day. The prevalence 
of this use, both in ancient and modern times, has to a 
great extent obscured the original significance of the 
word. Also called Lammas-day. 
3. The church festival of St. Peter's Chains, or 
St. Peter in the Fetters, observed on August 
1st in memory of St. Peter's imprisonment and 
miraculous deliverance (Acts xii. 4-10) Lam- 
mas eve, July 31st, the day before Lammas. 
Even or odd, of all days in the year, 
Come Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen. 
Slmk., R. and J., i. 8. 17. 
Latter Lammas, a Lammas that, like the Greek calends, 
does not exist : used ironically, implying 'never.' 
Courtiers thriue at latter Lammas day. 
Gascoigne, Steele Glas (ed. Arber), p. 55. 
Lammas-day (lam'as-da), . Same as Lam- 
mas, 2. 
lammas-land (lam'as-land), n. Land which is 
cultivated by individual occupiers, but after 
harvest (about the time of Lammas) is thrown 
open for common pasturage. F. Pollock, Land 
Laws, ii. [Eng.] 
Lammas-tide (lam'as-tid), n. The time or sea- 
son of Lammas. 
How long is it now 
To Lammas-tide? Shak., R. and J., I. 3. 16. 
lammer (lam'er), n. and a. [Also lamer, lamour, 
laumer, lumbar; appar. < F. Vambre, < le, the, 
ambrc, amber : see amber 2 .'] Amber. [Scotch.] 
Bedis of correll and lammer. 
Aberdeen Segis. (1548), V. 20. (Jamieson.) 
Dinna ye think puir Jeanie's een wi' the tears in them 
glanced like lamour beads? 
Scott, Heart of Mid-Lothian, xii. 
lammergeier, laemmergeier (lam'er-, lem'er- 
gi-er), . [< G. lammergeier, < lammer, pi. of 
lamm = E. lamb, + geier, a vulture (see under 
gerfalcon).] A very large diurnal bird of prey, 
the so-called bearded vulture or griffin of the 
Alps, Gypaetus barbatus, of the family Fal- 
conidfe, or placed in a separate family Gypae- 
tidw (which see). The bird is an eagle of somewhat 
3338 
outside garment in cold weather. Gentleman's 
Mag., October, 1886, p. 390. 
Lamna (lam'na), n. [NL., < L. lamna, lamina, 
a thin plate : see lamina. For the allusion to 
' plate,' cf. ElasmobrancMi.] The typical genus 
of Lamnida;, containing sharks of remarkable 
swiftness and ferocity. L. cornubica is the por- 
beagle. See cut under maclcerel-shark. 
Lamnidae (lam'ni-de), n. pi. [NL., < Lamna 
+ -idee.] A family of typical sharks repre- 
sented by the genus Lamna, to which various 
limits have been ascribed, (a) In Giinther's sys- 
tem, a family of Selachoidei, with no nictitating mem- 
brane, an anal and two dorsal fins (the first of which is op- 
posite the space between the pectorals and the ventrals), 
nostrils not confluent with the mouth, which is inferior, 
and spiracles none or minute, (b) In recent systems, a 
family of typical sharks, having the first dorsal between 
the pectorals and the ventrals, the second small, the tail 
keeled on the side, all the five branchial apertures in ad- 
vance of the pectorals and of moderate size, and the teeth 
large. The porbeagles and the mackerel-sharks are the 
best-known forms. Also Lamnoidte. 
Lamnina (lam-m'na), n. pi. [NL., < Lamna 
+ -ilia 2 .] In Giintfiier's ichthyological system, 
a group of Lamnida;: same as Lamnida; (b). 
lamnoid (lam'noid), a. and n. [< Lamna + -oid.] 
I. a. Pertaining to the Lamnida;, or having their 
characters. 
II. >?. One of the Lamnida!. 
lamp 1 (lamp), n. [Early mod. E. lampe; < ME. 
lampe, laitmpe = D. lamp = MLG. lampe = 
MHG. G. lampe = Dan. lampe = Sw. lampa, < 
OF. (also F.) lampe = Sp. lampo = Pg. lampeffo 
= It. lampa, lampadc, < L. lampas (lampad-), 
< Gr. Aa//7rdf (/ta^7ra<S-),'a torch, wax-light, lamp 
(oil-lamp), beacon, meteor, any light, < U/iireiv, 
shine. Cf. lantern, from the same ult. source.] 
1. A vessel, generally portable, for containing 
an inflammable liquid and a wick so arranged 
that it lifts the liquid by capillary attraction 
lampadomancy 
dard lamp, a hand-lamp with a tall standard, generally 
movable, made to stand on the floor. The tall fixed 
lamps in the chancels of churches are also known as 
standard lamps. Student lamp, or students' lamp, 
a portable lamp with an Argand burner, supplied by a 
cylindrical self-flowing oil-reservoir connected with the 
burner by a downward-curving tube. Reservoir and burn- 
er are carried on an upright standard passing through 
the tube, and can be raised or lowered on the standard 
at pleasure. The burner is fitted with a tall chimney and 
a conical porcelain shade. Submarine lamp, any form 
of lamp designed to burn under water. It is now par- 
ticularly an electric light that may be suspended under 
water for lighting wrecks or submarine explorations, con- 
structions, etc. Sun lamp, a form of electric incandes- 
cent lamp, resembling an arc-lamp, the light being given 
out by a piece of lime, magnesia, or oiher refractory sub- 
stance, placed between the ends of two carbon rods and 
rendered incandescent by an electric current. To smell 
of the lamp, to show traces of the use of "midnight oil " ; 
bear the marks of great and protracted labor ; be labored 
and pedantic in style or abstruse in character : said of lit- 
erary work. 
A work not smelling of the lamp to-night, 
But fitted for your Majesty's disport, 
And writ to the meridian of your court. 
B. Jomon, Staple of News, Prol. 
(See also carcel-lamp, glow-lamp, jack-lamp, safety-lamp.) 
lamp 1 (lamp), v. [< lampi, n.] I. trans. To 
furnish light to ; light. [Rare.] 
Set tapers to the toumbe, and lampe the church. 
Marston, Antonio and Mellida, II., UL 1. 
II. intrans. To shine. [Bare.] 
A cheerliness did with her hopes arise, 
That lamped cleerer than it did before. 
Ancient Roman Lamps, in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 
and when ignited at the end serves as a means 
of illumination ; in recent use also, by extension, 
a device employed for the same purpose in 
which the source of illumination is ignited gas 
or electric! ty . Lamps are distinguished by the liquids 
used in them, as alcohol-lamp, oil-lamp, etc., and by their 
mode of construction or their use, as Argand lamp, astral 
lamp, etc. 
And rule vs by rightwisnes in our Ranke dedis, 
With a lyue of lewte, that as a laump shynes. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 4849. 
The pure candlestick, with the lampe thereof, even with 
the lamps to be set in order. Ex. xxxix. 37. 
2. Figuratively, something suggesting the light 
of a lamp, whether in appearance or use ; any- 
thing possessing or communicating light, real 
or metaphorical. 
Thy gentle eyes send forth a quickening spirit, 
And feed the dying lamp of life within me. Rome. 
3. pi. Same as gig-lamps. See gig-lamp, 3. 
[Slang.] Aphloglsttc lamp. See aphlogistic. Arc- 
lamp, a lamp in which the light is given out by an elec- 
tric arc. See electric light, under electric. Argand lamp 
a lamp, patented by M. Argand in 1787, having a tubu- 
lar wiek, which is fed upward between two concentric 
metal tubes. Ah- is admitted to the interior of the flame 
lamp 2 (lamp), v. i. [Prob. akin to limp 1 , as cramp 1 
to crimp.'] To go or run quickly : scamper. 
[Scotch.] 
It was all her father's own fault, that let her run lamp 
ing about the country, riding on bare-backed naigs. 
Scott, Monastery, xxxiii. 
Iamp 3 t, n. [ME., also lampe, for "lame, < OF. 
lame, a thin plate : see lame 3 .] A thin plate. 
In an erthen potte how put is al, . . . 
And wel ycovered with a lamp of glas. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Canon's Yeoman's Tale, 1. 211. 
lampad (lam'pad), n. [< L. lampas (lampad-), 
< Gr. Aa/nraf (Aafivad-), a torch: see lamp 1 .] A 
lamp or candlestick ; a torch. [Rare.] 
Him who 'mid the golden lampads went Trench. 
lampadary (lam'pa-da-ri), M.; pi. lampadaries 
(-riz). [< ML. lampadarius, < MGr. Za/iira6dpu>f, 
< Gr. Zaunaf (fat/mad-), lamp : s,ee lamp 1 .'] An 
officer in the Greek Church who has the care of 
the church lamps, and carries a lighted taper 
before the patriarch in processions. 
lampade (lam'pad), n. [Also lampado; < L. 
lampas (lampad-), a torch : see lamp 1 .'] A lamp- 
shell. Meusclien, 1787; Humphreys, 1797. 
lampadedromy (lam-pa-ded'ro-mi), n. [< Gr. 
iMfiiradt/ipo/iia, Aauiradoipouta, torch-race, < /la/i- 
Traf (Ao/ijrad-), a torch, + 6p6uoc,, a race.] In Gr. 
antiq., a torch-race. Each contestant carried a light- 
ed torch, and the prize was won by him who first reached 
the goal with his torch unextinguished. 
lampadephore (lam-pad'e-for), n. [< Gr. ~/.aft- 
Trad>;(t>6po(, a torch-bearer, < Xa//7rdf (%a/jva6-), a 
torch, + <t>ipciv = E. bear 1 .] In Gr. antiq., a 
contestant in a torch-race. 
lampadephoria (lam-pad-e-fo'ri-a), . [< Gr. 
fafumttpjiopia, the bearing of torches, a torch- 
race, < AauT!aSrt^6poq, a torch-bearer: see lampad- 
ephore.'] In Gr. antiq., a torch-race in honor of 
a fire-god, as Prometheus or Hephaestus (Vul- 
can). At Athens it was held on a moonless night, the 
torches being lighted at the altar of the divinity whom it 
was intended to honor, and the course being from this 
altar to the Acropolis. 
lampadephoros (lam-pa-def 'o-ros), n. [Gr. 
-, j_^/... see lampajiepjiore'.] Same as tern- 
upper parts are blackish; the head is white, with a black 
line on each side and tufts of black bristly feathers at the 
base of the bill ; the under parts are tawny. It stoops to 
carrion like most other eagles, but is also powerful and 
rapacious enough to destroy chamois, lambs, kids, hares, 
etc. I he bird ranges through the mountains of southern 
Europe and northeastern Africa, and thence through cen- 
tral Asia to northern China. See cut under Gi/paetus. Also 
written lammerneir, lemmergeyer, laemmergeyer 
lammie 1 , n. See lambie. 
lammy, lammie 2 (lam'i),n.: p 
lamp. Davy's lamp. See davyi'. Doberelner's lamp! 
a contrivance for producing an instantaneous light, in- 
vented by Professor Dobereiner, of Jena, in 1824. The 
light is produced by throwing a jet of hydrogen gas upon 
recently prepared spongy platinum, when the metal in- 
stantly becomes red-hot, and then sets fire to the gas. 
This action depends upon the readiness with which spongy 
platinum absorbs gases, more especially oxygen gas. The 
hydrogen is brought into such close contact with oxygen 
(derived from the atmosphere) in the pores of the plati- 
num that chemical union takes place on the surface of 
the platinum, with evolution of sufficient heat to ignite 
the rest of the hydrogen. Also called hydrogen lamp. 
Electric lamp. See electric and glow-lamp Fresnel 
lamp, a lamp in which the light is placed behind a 
Fresnel lens, or is inclosed in a glass of which the section 
n l hat of a 1 ' resnel le ns. Hydrogen lamp. Same as 
Uooereiners lamp. Hydrostatic lamp, a lamp in which 
a column of water raises the oil to the wick. Mechanical 
lamp. Same as carcel-lamp. Monochromatic lamp, 
a lamp burning a mixture of alcohol and salt, to produce a 
A thick quilted frock or short jumper made of 
flannel or blanket-cloth, worn by sailors as an 
s most commonly a lamp of very simple 
consisting of a receptacle of glass or sheet-metal, 
w i'h a cylindrical tube to cany a wick. Stan- 
lampades, n. Plural of lampas 2 , 1. 
Lampadias (lam-pa'cli-as), n. [NL., < Gr. ?.au- 
n-adiaf, a torch-bearer, a comet, the star Alde- 
baran, < faa-itdf (%a/jirad-), a lamp, torch: see 
lamp 1 .'] 1. Ptolemy's name for the bright star 
of the Hyades, a Tauri, or Aldebaran. 2. A 
bearded comet. E. Phillips, 1706. 
lampadist (lam'pa-dist), n. [< Gr. ?.<j,u;ra<5n%, 
torch-bearer, < Aaftirafifeiv, run the torch-race, < 
/a//;raf Q.auvad-), a torch: see lamp 1 , lampad.] 
In Gr. antiq., one who took part in a torch-race ; 
a lampadephore. 
lampadite (lam'pa-dit), . [< Gr. fa/m&s (fan- 
jra<S-), a torch, + -ite%.] A variety of wad or 
earthy manganese, containing a small percent- 
age of oxid of copper. 
lampado (lam-pa'do), . Same as lampade. 
lampadomancy (lam-pad'o-man-si), n. [< Gr. 
/o/OTOf (>.a//7rod-), lamp, + fiavreia, divination.] 
An ancient method of divination from the vari- 
ations in the color and motions of the flame of 
a lamp or torch. 
