leet 
leet'-' (It-l). a. [Appar. < led. Ifiti, n share, :i 
part; but cl'. AS. ////, Ill ;il, lilirl, var. forms of 
hint, lot, sliaiv: see lnl.\ 1. One |>ort inn ; u 
lot. '2. A list of eamliilates fur any oflU-o. 
Shortleet, :i list nf pciiuiiw wiuctfil ntl>*mtU(Ibleo( 
the cjui'iH i:it TN for any office In order thai thoir olalmi may 
In- mure p:irtirlll;irly rnnsiilrmt in view of Humiliation. 
leet :! , >'. Sri- Illin. 
leet 4 (let). . A dialectal form of Hto 1 , little. 
Leet rather, u little while ago. iiulUinil. 
leet :> (101). i. /. [A dial, form of /<<!.] To let 
on: pretend; feign. [Prov. Eng.] 
leet (let), a. and . A dialectal form of lii/h/ 1 . 
leet" (let), r. i. A dialectal form of light 9 . 
leet-alet (let'al), H. A feast or merry-making 
at the holding of a court-leet. 
Leet-ale, in some parts of l'iml:uni. signifies the dinner 
at a court-leet of n nmnor for the jury and customary 
tenants. T. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, III. 829. 
leetle (IC-'tl), n. and n. A vulgar or humorous 
variant of lit lie. 
She may be a leetle spoilt liy circumstances. 
Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, iv. IS. 
leet-man (let'man), w. 1. One subject to the 
.jurisdiction of a court-leet. 2. In the Funda- 
mental Constitutions of Carolina (1669), a Jerf. 
leets (lets), . A name of the pollock. See 
li/thtf. 
leeye 1 !, levet, " < [ME. leeven, leren, < AS. 
lijJdH, tjelyfan, believe: see beliere.] To be- 
lieve. 
Alaas ! tliat lordes of the londe leveth swlche wrecchen, 
And leveth swych lorels for her lowe wordes. 
Quoted In Babtes Book (E. E. T. 9.), p. xlv. 
leeve' 2 t, ' An obsolete form of leare 1 . 
leeward (le'wiird; pron. by seamen lu'ard), a. 
and n. [< fccl + -ward. The pron. lu'ard is 
prob. due to a form "lewward, the forms lee and 
ten- being ult. identical: see tee 1 , teicl.] I. a. 
Pertaining to the quarter toward which the 
wind blows; being in the direction of the wind: 
opposed to windward: as, a leeward course. 
Leeward tide, a tide running in the same direction that 
the wind blows, and directly contrary to a tide under the 
lee, which Implies a stream In an opposite direction to the 
wind. 
II. H. The point or direction opposite to that 
from which trie wind blows: as, to fall to lee- 
ward. 
leeward (16'ward ; by seamen, lu'ard), adv. [= 
D. lijwaartf! = '&. lecwtirts = Sw. la'vart. See Ice- 
ward, n.] Toward the lee, or that part toward 
which the wind blows : opposed to windward. 
leewardly (le'ward-li; by seamen, lu'ard-li), 
a. Making much leeway when sailing close- 
hauled : applied to ships that are not weather- 
ly or cannot sail close to the wind without mak- 
ing great leeway. See wcatherly. 
leewardness (le'ward-nes; by seamen, lu'iird- 
nes), N. Tendency to make leeway; lack of 
weatherliness. 
But such was the leewardneiae of his Ship that, though he 
was within the sight of Cape Henry, by stormy contrary 
winds was he forced so farre to SIM' that the west Indies 
was the next laud. 
Quoted In Capt. John Smith's Works, I. 1 11. .. 
leeway (le'wa), n. 1. The lateral movement of 
a ship to the leeward of her course, or the angle 
formed between the line of the ship's keel and 
the line which she actually describes through 
the water; the deviation from her true course 
which a vessel makes by drifting to leeward. 
Hence 2. Loss of progress in general ; a fall- 
ing behind; retrogression: as, to be making 
It'eifdi/ financially To make up leeway, or make 
up for leeway, to make up for time lost ; overtake work 
which has fallen behind. 
leeze (lez). [In the phrase leeze me, appar. a 
coutr. of lief in me, that is, it is pleasing to 
me.] It is pleasing: used in the expression 
leeze me on (a person or thing), equivalent to 
/ lore. [Scotch.] 
But leeze me on thee, my little black mare. 
Archie of Ca'field (Child's Ballads, VI. 90). 
O letze me on my spinning-wheel, 
O leeze me on my rock an' reel. 
Burns, Bess and her Spinning-Wheel. 
left, lefet, ". Obsolete forms of leaf. 
lefet, n. An obsolete form of lief. 
lefeselt, lefselt, . [ME., also'te/w. /,,;/;/, 
li I'emil, ten *<!. I, n ,v li . rte. (= Sw. lofsal = Dan. 
liivsttl), an arbor, < AS. leaf, leaf. + nele, a hall, 
a room: see leaf and saloon. Cf. lobby, orig. of 
like meaning and ult. connected with ten/.] A 
bower of leaves ; a place covered with foliage ; 
an arbor. 
(They] lurkyt vnder lefe-mls loget with vims, 
Ituskt't vutiur biiiikrs on hnunliTs with-oute. 
Destruction of Troy (E. K. T. S.). 1. 1187. 
left 1 (loft), ./. and n. [< ME. left. lift. I lift, left, 
< AS. Igft, left, weak, worthless, forms found 
an 
1 is supposed to be turned. The left wing of an 
my Is the part or division on the left side of the center 
3309 
only in comp., lyt't-adl, palsy (< It/ft, weak, + 
Hill, ili~r;isr>, :un| till- (,'loss "ilctni^. lift" (not 
t'o 1 1 nil iii tliodi'lli'i-ti-'l -r n si> 'left,' for which thr 
AS. wonl is winnter), = Ml), luft, 1'ieht, left, = 
North Fries, leeft, left : the lit. sense, found only 
i 1 1 A S. , is ' weak,' orig. ' broken,' ult. = L. ni/itii-. , 
broken: !< i-n/i/m-e. (Jf. Injft, cut off, maim, 
etc. The left hand or arm is thus the 'weak' one, 
as compared with the right, which is stronger 
because in more active use. The term has been 
\ tended, with mere ref. to position, to the leg, 
ear, eye, cheek, side, etc. The common expla- 
nation, that the left hand is that which is usu- 
ally 'left' unused (as if from the pp. of leave 1 ), 
is erroneous. The L. loevus = Or. fou6s = HUSH. 
1 1' i mi. left, is not akin to the E. word.] I. 
a. 1. Belonging to that side of the body of 
man and other animals which is directed toward 
the west when the face or front is turned to the 
north; siuistral: the opposite of right: as, the 
left hand, arm, leg, ear, or eye ; the heart beats 
on the left side of the body. 
Let nat thy t.nii half, oure lord techeth, 
Ywite whatthow delest with thy ryht syde. 
Piers I'lmcman (C\ IT. 76. 
This bridle bost with void 
I beare in my left hanue. 
(Jateoigne, Fhllomene (ed. Arber), p. 114. 
Then Johnny looked over his left shoulder. 
Johnie Armstrong (Child's Ballads, VI. i:i). 
2. Being on the left-hand side ; situated on the 
side toward which the left hand of a person is 
or " 
army is the part 
when facing an enemy. The left bank of a river Is that 
which is on the left hand of a person who Is going in the 
direction of ii - current. The left side of a deliberative 
assembly is that on the left hand of the presiding officer. 
In heraldry, the left (or sinister) la the spectator's right. 
Uppon the lufif way, men goon fyrst tin to Damas, by 
Flome Jordane ; uppon the rygt syde, men goon thorewe 
the Lande of Flagum. Mandemlle, Travels, p. 128. 
Left bower. See tower*. Oyer the left shoulder. 
Same as over the left (which see, under II.). 
II. n. 1. The left-hand side ; the side oppo- 
site to the right: as, turn to the left (hand); the 
left (wing) of an army ; to wheel from right to 
left. 
Lying, robed In snowy white 
That loosely flew to left and right. 
Tennynon, Lady of Shalott. 
2. In the politics of continental Europe, that 
part of a legislative assembly which sits on the 
left of the president; specifically, the liberal or 
democratic party, as that party, according to 
custom, always sits on this side of the house. 
[Usually with a capital letter.] 3f. A worth- 
less creature. 
The kynge knewe he seide sothe for Conscience hym tolde, 
That VV rouge was a wikked luft and wrougte mociie sorwe. 
liters Plouman (B), iv. 2. 
In music and stage directions abbreviated L. 
Left about I See about. Over the left, or over the 
left shoulder (see above), not at all : indicating negation, 
or the contrary of what is stated or ordinarily meant : as, 
he's a very clever fellow over the left. [Colloq. or suing. ] 
Yon will have an account to keep too ; but an account 
of what will go ooer the left shoulder ; only of what he 
squanders, what he borrows, and what he owes and never 
will pay. Richardson, Clarissa Harlowe, I. 242. 
left 1 (left), adr. [< leftl, a. and .] Toward the 
left; siuistrad: as, they scattered right and left. 
Shall not Love to me, 
As in the Latin song I learnt at school, 
Sneeze out a full (lod-bless-you right and left? ' 
Tennyson, Edwin Morris. 
Guide left. See^uufe. 
left- (left). Preterit and past participle of leare 1 , 
I inn'-. 
Ieft 3 t. A preterit and past participle of leere 1 . 
leftet. An obsolete form of the preterit of Hfft. 
left-hand (left'hand), a. 1. Situated or located 
on one's left side; found near the left of: as, 
one's left-liand man. 2t. Left-handed; sinis- 
ter; inauspicious; unlucky; unfavorable. 
If left-hand fortune give thee left-hand chances, 
Be wisely patient Quartet, Emblems, Ir. 4. 
left-handed (left'han'ded), . 1. Having the 
left hand or arm stronger and more capable of 
being used with facility than the right; using 
the left hand and arm in preference to the right. 
2. Characterized by direction or position to- 
ward the left hand ; moving from right to left : 
as, a Irft-liiiinlfd quartz crystal (one which ro- 
tates the plane of polarization to the left). See 
li rni/i/rnlr and jioltirizntioH. 
Herschel found that the right-handed or left handed 
character of the circular polarization corresponded, in all 
cues, to that of the crystal Whewll. 
3. Clumsy : awkward ; inexpert ; unskilful. 
leg 
lli*<n. \Vh:it klmliifinan? 
Pito. Thai tin. u maynt know him perfectly, he'i one 
Of a left-handed making, a lank tiling. 
Beau, andri.. Captain, ill. 5. 
4. Insincere; sinister; malicious. 
The commendations of this people are not always lift, 
handed and detractive. Landor. 
Of. Unlucky; inauspicious Left-banded com- 
pliment, see compliment Left-handed marriage. 
.See tmrrya italic. 
left-handednessOeft'han'ded-nes), n. 1. The 
state or quality of being left-handed ; habitual 
use of the left hand, or the ability to use the 
left hand with more ease and strength than the 
right, or equally with it. 
Although a squint left handednest 
Be ungracious, yet we cannot want that band. 
Donne, To the Counteaa at Bedford. 
2. Awkwardness; clumsiness, 
left-hander (left'han'der), n. 1. A left-handed 
person. 
Let us pan on to the case of left handert. 
froc. Soc. Psych. Rettanh, III. 42. 
2. A dagger carried in the left hand to parry 
the thrust H of a rapier: an important accessory 
of the fencing of the sixteenth century. 3. A 
blow with the left hand; hence, a sudden blow 
or attack from an unexpected quarter. 
Stepping back half a pace, he let fly a terrific left-hander 
at the doctor. MacmiUan't Mag., Feb., Istu, p. 278. 
left-handiness (left'han'di-nes), n. Same as 
left-Jtandednens. [Bare.] 
An awkward address, ungraceful attitudes and actions, 
and a certain left-handiness (if I may use the expression) 
proclaim low education. Chesterfield. 
leftness (left'nes), n. The condition or state of 
being left or on the left side. 
Rlghtness and leftneu, upnesa and downness, are again 
pure sensations differing specifically from each other, and 
generically from everything else. 
W. Janet, Mind, XIL 14. 
left-off (left'df), a. Laid aside; no longer worn: 
as, left-off clothes. 
leftward (left' wftrd), adr. [< leftl + -ward.] 
Toward the left; to the left hand or side; sin- 
istrad. 
Rlghtward and leftward rise the rocks. Sotitkey. 
Turning leftward, we approach the Troittklj Bridge. 
Harper' t Mag., LXXIX. 202. 
left-witted (left'wit'ed), a. Dull ; stupid ; fool- 
ish. [Rare.] Imp. IHct. 
lefult, a. See leceful. 
leg (leg), w. [Early mod. E. also legge ; < ME. 
leg, pi. legges, < Icel. leggr, a leg, a hollow bone, 
= Dan. tog = Sw. lag, the calf of the leg. The 
AS. word for ' leg ' was scanca ( > E. shank) ; the 
G.word is bein (= E. bone 1 ).'] 1. One of the two 
lower limbs of a man, or any one of the limbs 
of an animal which support and move the body. 
Specifically (a) A lower limb or posterior extremity; a 
limb which is not an arm or a wing, (6) The part of a 
lower limb which lies between the knee and the ankle : 
the cms: distinguished from Ihvjh and font. (See cat 
under eras.) In vertebrates the parts called legs are 
never more than two pairs. When both pain are used 
in supporting and moving the body, they are distin- 
guished as /ore legs and hind leys, as in all ordinary quad- 
rupeds. A limb not used in support is known by some 
other name, as wing, fin, arm, etc. In about three fourths 
of the animal kingdom there are six legs, lu three pairs, 
as in the whole class of Insecta proper (hence called llrxu- 
poda). The arachnidans have normally four pairs of legs. 
All the higher crustaceans have flve pairs of legs, and are 
hence called Decapoda. In some arthropods there arc 
more than 100 pairs of legs, whence the terms eentiped, 
milleped, ete. Leg is often used synonymously with foot. 
Many parts of invertebrates which are legs in a morpho- 
logical sense become other kinds of limbs or members, aa 
mouth-parts, cbelce, falces, etc. 
Her fine foot, straight ley, and quivering thigh. 
SAo*., R. andJ., ii 1. 19. 
The lone hern forget* his melancholy. 
Let* down his other leg, and. stretching, dreams 
Of goodly supper in the distant pool. 
Tennyon, Uareth and Lynette. 
2. Some object resembling a leg in use, posi- 
tion, or appearance : as, the /<//> of a table or 
chair; the legx of a pair of dividers; the legs 
of a triangle (the sides, as opposed to the base, 
especially the sides adjacent to a right angle) ; 
the lnj of an angle, or of a hyperbola. 
Joint-stools were then created ; an three leg* 
Upborne they stood. Confer, Tak, L 19. 
I have seen a leg of a rainbow plunge down on the river 
running through the valley. 
Je/enon, Correspondence, II. 336. 
Hence 3. Something that serves for support, 
moral or physical. 
The sprightly voice of sinew-strength 'ning pleasure 
Can lend my bed-rid soul both lent and leisure. 
Quartet, Emblems, IT. S. 
Worthy but weak Mr. Brandon, 
You haven't a leg to stand on. 
Jean Ingelme, Off the Skelliga, xxiL 
