lance 
4. In carp., a pointed blade, as that affixed to 
one side of a chipping-bit or router to sever the 
grain around the path of the tool. It is also 
used in certain crozes, gages, and planes. K. 
H. Knight. 5. A pyrotechnic squib used for 
various purposes. 6. An iron rod which is 
ii\i'd across the earthen mold of a shell, and 
keeps it suspended in the air when the shell is 
i-:ist. As soon as the shell Is formed, this rod must be 
taken out with instrument!) made for that purpose. Wtt 
hflm, Mil. Diet. 
7. One skilled in the use of the lance ; a soldier 
armed with a lance ; a lancer. 
Duke Dudley was unquestionably the ablest public man 
of the age. In youth the most graceful lance in the tilt- 
yards of Greenwich and Windsor, the bravest soldier of 
the later wars of Henry, the mainstay of the Revolution af- 
ter Henry sdcath. R. W. Dixon, llist. Church of Eng., Ml. 
8. In ichtli., same as sand-lance. First lance, in 
whaling, same as first set (which see, underbred). Free 
lance. See/rec-Jonce. Hollow lance. Same as bourdo- 
wuwc. Holy lance, In the Or. Ch., a eucharistic knife 
with a blade like that of a lance, and a cruciform handle. 
It is used, in the office of prothesls, In the preparation of 
the holy bread for the liturgy. Also called holy spear. 
Tilting lance. See tating-lance.'So break a lance. 
See break. 
lance 1 (lans), v. ; pret. and pp. lanced,jppr. lan- 
cing. [Early mod. E. also launce; < ME. lancen, 
lansen, launcen (also launcnen: see launch), < 
OF. fancier, lanchier, pierce with a lance, pierce, 
fight with a lance, throw, hurl, plunge, press, 
etc., F. lancer, throw, hurl, launch, < lance, a 
lance: see lancet, .] I, trans. 1. To pierce 
with a lance, or with any sharp-pointed instru- 
ment. 
With his prepared sword, he charges home 
My unprovided body, lanced mine arm. 
Ska*., Lear, ii. 1. 54. 
Seized the due victim, and with fury lanced 
Her back. Dryden, Theodore and Honorla, 1. 301. 
2. To open with or as if with a lancet: as, to 
lance an abscess. 
It Is an age, Indeed, which is only lit for satire, and the 
sharpest 1 have shall never be wanting to lance its villa- 
nles, and its ingratitude to the government. 
Dryden, Ded. of Plutarch's Lives. 
The favorite remedy for all disorders occurring at the 
time of dentition Is lancing the gums. 
i.i a" in, Med. Diet, p. 342. 
3f. To throw in the manner of a javelin; launch. 
( lure lorde to the lede lamed a speche : 
" Is this ry t-wys thou renk, alle thy ronk noyse?" 
Alliterative Poemt (ed. Morris), Hi. 489. 
Deep in the Glebe her Spear she lanc'd. 
Congreve, Pindaric Odes, U. 
4t. To shoot forth as a lance. 
"The tree hihte Trewe-loue, " quath he, " the trinite hit 
sette; 
Thorgh louely lokynge hit lyueth and launeeth vp bios- 
semes." Piers Plowman (C), xix. 10. 
Il.t intrans. 1. To shoot or spring np. 
And thorw the grete grace of Jod of greyn ded In erthe 
Atte laste launeeth vp wher-by we lyuen alle. 
Piers Plowman (C), xili. 186. 
2. To pierce. 
The swerd of loue thorw hire [ Mary] gan launee, 
Heo swapte on swownylng thorw that chaunce. 
Holy Rood (E. E. T. 8.), p. 142. 
lanC6 2 t (lans), n. [Also written launce; = Olt. 
lance, < L. lanx (ace. lane-), a plate, platter, 
scale of a balance: see balance. Cf. auncel.'] 
A balance. 
Need teacheth her this lesson hard and rare, 
That fortune all in equal! launce doth sway. 
Speraer, F. Q., III. vil. 4. 
lance-bucket (lans'buk'et), n. A shoe or rest 
to support the butt of the lance, forming part 
of the accoutrements of certain bodies of lan- 
cers. 
lance-COrporal (lans'kdr'po-ral), . Mint., a 
private performing the duties oil a corporal, with 
temporary rank as such. 
lance-fly (lans'fli). n. A poetical name of some 
undetermined insect, perhaps a lace-fly. 
At the glimpse of morning pale 
The lance-Ay spreads his silken sail. 
J. K. Drake, Culprit Fay. 
lancegayt, . [Also erroneously lance-de-gay ; 
< MK. lniK't/iHi/, liuincegay,<.OF. lancegaie, lance- 
t/aye, launcegaic, foT*lance-:agaye,< /aw,lance, 
+ zanaye, assagai: seessa<7a.J Akindof spear 
or javelin. 
In his hand a lauiicegay, 
A long swerd by his syde. 
Chaucer, Sir Thopas, 1. 41. 
But with a shotte off a launceyay tho 
Thys noble knyght smetyn thorugh hys body. 
Rom, of Partenay (E. E. T. S.\ 1. 2108. 
These carried a kind of lance de gay. sharp at both ends, 
which they held In the midst of the staff. 
Kaleitjh, Hist. World, v. 3. 
lance-head (lans'hed). M. The head of a lance. 
The typical lance-head is that used In the fourteenth cen- 
3341 
tury, and It almost as straight and uniform as a bayonet. 
The lance head Is usually fastened to the wood by one or 
more tangs on the outside; but sometimes these nearly 
envelop the wood, forming a sort of ferrule. 
lance-nopk (lans'huk), >i. A small iron hook 
on the side of a whale-boat, designed to hold a 
lance. 
lance-knightt (14ns' nit), . [An erroneously 
accom. form, as if a soldier armed with a lance, 
of landsknecht, lanzknecht.] A common foot- 
soldier. 
At one time there came an army of eighteen thousand 
foot, at another time an army wherein were reckoned 
twelve thousand launce knight*. 
Baker, Hen. VIII., an. 1546. 
Now must I practise to get the true garb of one of these 
lance-knights. B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, ii. 2. 
lance-leafed (laus' left), a. In hot., having lance- 
olate leaves: as, lance-leafed loosestrife; lance- 
leafed violet. 
lancelet (lans'let), n. [< lancet + -let.'} If. A 
lance. Baret. 2. The sand-lance, amphioxus, 
or branchiostome, a skull-less fish-like verte- 
brate, representing a genus Branchiostoma or 
Amphioxus, a family Branchiostomida orAmphi- 
oxidce, an order Pharyngobranchii, a class Lep- 
tocardii, and a 'branch' of vertebrates lately 
named Cephalochorda. See these names, and 
Acrania. The lancelet Is the lowest true vertebrate, 
furnishing a connecting-link with ascldians. It is from 
about 24 to 3 inches In length, thin and compressed, sharp 
at both ends like a spindle, colorless and almost transpa- 
Lancelet (Brattckiostoma lanettlatum). 
a, mouth ; b, pharyngobranchial chamber ', c, anus ; d, liver ; f, ab- 
dominal pore. 
rent. and lives In the sand of the sea-shore in temperate and 
tropical regions. There are several species, of which the 
common lancelet Is Branchiostoma lanceolatum. Another, 
II. pulcheUmn, has been made the type of a separate genus, 
Epiyvnichthys. 
lance-linear (lans'lin'e-ar), a. In lint., nar- 
rowly lanceolate ; almost linear. 
lancelyt (lans'li), a. [< lance 1 + -lyt.] Suit- 
able to a lance. 
He carried his lances, which were strong, to give a 
lancely blow. Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia. 
lanceolar (lan'se-o-lar), a. [< L. lanceola, a 
small lance: see lanceolate.'} In hot., tapering 
toward each end. 
lanceolate (lan'se-6-lat), a. [< LL. lanceolatus, 
armed with a little lance or point, < L. lanceola, 
lancet-fish 
fern. pp. of spezzare, break.] A subordinate of- 
ficer in the armies of the sixteenth and seven- 
teenth centuries. His office was one which could be 
held by a man of gentle birth, uot nnliki tin n'nt Ionian of 
the company of later times. "When a gentleman of a 
troop of horse had broken his lance he was entertained 
under the name of broken lance [lancepetade] by cap- 
tain of a foot company as hit comrade, till he was again 
mounted. " Sir J. Turner, Pallas AmiaU. 
And we will make attorneys lancepriiaana, 
And our brave gown-men prmcUcen of backsword. 
Fletcher (and oOun), Bloody Brother, I. 1. 
Ami'd like a dapper laiuxpttade, 
With Spanish pike he broach d a pore. 
Cleaveland. 
lance-plate (lans'plat), n. Same as complete. 
lancepod (lans'pod), n. A leguminous plant of 
the genus Lonchocarpus, with long flat pods, na- 
tive in Australia. 
lancer (lan'ser), n. [< OF. laneeor, lanceeur, Inn- 
ecu r, also lander, F. lander, a soldier armed 
withalance,< /aee,alance: see/anee 1 .] 1. One 
who carries a lance; a soldier armed witha lance. 
There are regiments of lancen In most of the great armies 
of Europe; they are generally considered as light cavalry. 
These lancer regiments are known by different names. 
See 17 Won, Cossack. 
2. One who lances. 8f. A lancet. 
They cut themselves . . . with knives and laneen[mm 
printed lancet*]. 1 Ki. xvlll. 28 (ed. 161 !>. 
4. pi. (a) A popular set of quadrilles, first used 
in England about 1820. Also landers, (b) Music 
for such a set of dances. 
lance-rest (lans'rest), n. 1. See rest. 2. In 
In i'. Same as clarion, 4. 
lances, Plural of lanx. 
lance-sergeant (lans'sar'jent), n. An acting 
sergeant; a corporal advanced to assist the of- 
ficers of a troop or company. 
lance-shaped (lans'shapt), a. Shaped like a 
lance; lanceolate. 
lance-snake (lans'snak), M. Same as fer-de- 
lance. 
lance-stitch (lan-sa'stich). . A simple em- 
broidery-stitch made with straight stitches 
arranged in simple patterns, as stars and zig- 
zags. 
lancet (lan'set), n. [< ME. launcet, lawnset, < 
OF. lancete, lancette, F. lancette, a lancet, little 
lance (= Sp. Pg. lanceta, a lancet, = It. lan- 
cetta, a small spear, a lancet), dim. of lance, a 
lance: see lancet.'} if. A small lance or jave- 
lin. 
And also lamuetyt were leyde on hey, 
For to schete bothe ferre an ney. 
Arehtrvloyia, XXI. 52. (UaUiifeU.) 
2. A small surgical instrument, sharp-pointed 
and generally two-edged, used in bloodletting 
and in opening tumors, abscesses, etc. Lancets 
a little lance, < lancea, a lance : 
see/ancc 1 .] Shaped like a lance- 
head; in bot., several times 
longer than broad, and taper- 
ing from a rounded base toward 
the apex, or tapering in both 
directions: by some restricted 
to the latter case : said of 
leaves, scales, marks, etc. 
lanceolated (lan'se-o-la-ted), o. 
[< lanceolate + -ed*.] 1. Same 
as lanceolate. 2. Having lan- 
ceolate markings: as, the lun- 
ceolated jay, Garrulus lanceo- 
late. P. L. Sclater. 
lanceolately (lan'se-o-lat-li), 
inlr. With a lanceolate form. 
Lancetilatelii fusiform. 
U. C. Wood, Fresh-Water Algre, 
(p. 109. Lanceolate Leaves 
- . . , of () Qtterfuf Pktl- 
lanceolation (lan'se-o-la - / and i> s/i> 
shou), . [< lanceolate +' -ion.} ""^f"- 
The quality or condition of being lanceolate ; 
sharp-pointedness. 
lance-oval (lins'o'val), a. Broadly lanceolate 
or narrowly oval. 
The cocci, as found In the blood of an Inoculated ani- 
mal, are, as a rule, oval or lance-oral in form. 
Lancet, No. 3426, p. 868. 
lancepesadet (lans-pe-sad'), n. [Also lancepe- 
sata, lanec-pesado, lanceprezade, Itincepresada, 
lanceprezado, lanceprisado, and, with omission of 
/ (perhaps taken as the F. def. &rt.),anxpesade; 
< F. lancepessade. lan.tpessadc, lans-ptcat, etc., 
a lance-corporal. < It. landa xpe::ata, a broken 
lance or demi-lance, a demi-lanceman, a light- 
horseman: lauriti. < L. /((H0i,a lance; spezzatu, 
', 
Lancets. 
a, gum-lancet ; 4, spear-shaped vaccinating-lancet ; f. needle- 
pointed vaccinating-lancet. 
are known as gum-lancet*, raccinating-lanceti, etc., ac- 
cording to their use, and their shapes are various. Ordi- 
nary lancets are fixed In a handle somewhat like that of a 
razor, sometimes three together on a single pin, opening 
In either direction. 
With that he drew a lancet In his rage. 
To puncture the still supplicating sage. 
Garth, Dispensary, v. 
3. In arch., a lancet-window ; an arch of lancet 
shape. 
The church one night, except 
For greenish glimmerings thro* the lancet*. 
Tennyson, Aylmer's Field. 
Lancet style. In arch. See early English architecture. 
under early. 
lancet-arch (lan'set-arch), M. An arch of which 
the head is acutely pointed, like the blade of a 
lancet, and having curves formed by radii cen- 
tering outside of the arch. Such arches are common 
in the fully developed medieval architecture, especially in 
England, and are characteristic of lancet-windows. See 
cut under lancet-vindov. 
lancet-fish (lan'set-fish), . 1. A fish of the 
family Teutnididce or .li-iinthuriilir. having lan- 
cet-like spines, one on each side of the tail. 
Also called barber-, doctor-, and surgeon-fish. 
2. A fish, Aleptdosaurvs ferox, of the family 
Alepidosaaridce, having large lancet-like teeth. 
See cut under haitdsaw-Jiali. 
