leg-muff 
humming-birds; a fluffy legging. See cut un- 
der Eriocnemis. 
Legnotideae (leg-no-tid'e-e), n.pl. [NL. (Bart- 
ling, 1830), < Legnotis (-id-), a former genus of 
plants now referred to Cassipourea (< Gi. /teywj- 
rdf, with a colored border, < fayvoiiv, furnish 
with a colored border, < Uyvov, a hem, border, 
esp. a colored border), + -co;.] A tribe of tropi- 
cal trees or shrubs of the natural order Rhizo- 
phorea! sometimes regarded as a distinct or- 
der, chiefly distinguished from the rest of the 
order by the presence of albumen in the seed. 
It embraces 11 genera and about 81 species, inhabiting the 
immediate coasts and muddy estuaries of various tropical 
countries and islands. 
lego-literary (Ie"g6-lit'e-ra-ri), a. [< L. lex 
(leg-), law (see legal), + E. literary, q. v.] Per- 
taining to the literature of law. [Bare and 
barbarous.] 
An essay on this lego-literary subject. Lard Campbell. 
leg-rest (leg' rest), n. A rest or support for the 
leg. 
Tom advanced before him, carrying the leg-rest. 
George Eliot, Mill on the Floss, iii. I. 
leg-shield (leg'sheld), . A defensive appliance 
formerly used to protect the leg of a juster: 
sometimes attached to the saddle, sometimes to 
the poitrel of the horse, and sometimes forming 
a separate shield-shaped plate of iron. This shield, 
of whatever form, was worn particularly to guard the left 
leg, because this side was especially liable to injury by 
striking against the barrier which separated the justing 
knights. The first of the three forms was also used in 
war. 
Leguatia (leg-u-a'ti-a), n. [NL., named after 
one Leguat.] A genus of large ralliform birds 
of the Mascarene Islands, recently extinct; the 
giant rails. L. gigantea, a species about 6 feet 
tall, was described by Leguat. H. Schlegel, 1858. 
leguleian (leg-u-le'yan), a. and n. [< L. legu- 
leius, a pettifogging' lawyer, with dim. -ul-, < 
lex (leg-), law : see legal.] I. a. Pettifogging. 
[Bare.] 
In the classical English sense, or in the sense of legu- 
leian barbarism. De Quincey. 
II. n. A. pettifogger. [Rare.] 
You do but that over again that you have from the very 
beginning of your Discourse, and which some silly Legu- 
leians now and then do, to argue unawares against their 
own Clients. Milton, Answer to Salmasius. 
legume (leg'um or le-gutn'), re. [< F. legume 
= Sp. legumbre = Pg. It. legume, pulse, < L. le- 
gumen, any leguminous plant, pulse, esp. the 
bean, lit. ' that which may be gathered,' < legere, 
gather: see legend.] 1. pi. The fruit of legu- 
minous plants of the pea kind ; pulse. 
Legumes, or Legutnens, are a species of plants which are 
call'd pulse, such as pease, beans, AT., and are so call'd 
because they may be gather'd by the hand without cut- 
ting. Miller, Gardener's Diet 
2. A pod formed of a simple pistil, which is de- 
hiscent by both sutures and so divides into two 
valves, the seeds being borne at the inner or 
ventral suture only. The name is confined to the 
fruit of the Leguminosce. In the modification of the le- 
gume called a lament the pod breaks up into indehiscent 
joints. See cut under lament. 
legumen (le-gu'men), re. [L. : see legume.'] 
Same as legume. 
legumin (le-gu'min), re. [< legume + -in 2 .] A 
nitrogenous proteid substance resembling case- 
in, obtained from peas and other legumes. It 
is insoluble in water or acid, but is freely soluble in very 
dilute alkali, and has an acid reaction. Also called vegetable 
casein. 
leguminar (le-gu'mi-nar), a. In lot., resem- 
bling or characteristic of a legume : said of de- 
hiscence by a marginal suture. 
leguminiforra (Ieg-u-min'i-f6rm), a. [< L. le- 
gumen, legume, + forma, form.] Having the 
form of a legume. 
Leguminosas (le-gu-mi-no'se), n. pi. [NL. (P. 
S. Balph, 1849), fern. pi. of leguminosus, legu- 
minous: see leguminous.] A large order of 
dicotyledonous plants, exceeded in the number 
of species by the Composites only, belonging to 
the great division (cohort) Rosales. It is charac- 
terized, in brief, by the generally papilionaceous but 
sometimes regular flowers, and a single free pistil that 
forms a fruit known as a legume. The leaves are, with 
rare exceptions, alternate, compound, and generally pin- 
nate. The order is composed of trees, shrubs, and herbs, 
distributed throughout the world, except the frigid is- 
lands of the antarctic region. It is divided into three 
suborders, known as the Papiiionaceoe, Caxalpiniece, and 
Mimaseie. There are about 7,000 species, contained in 
about 430 genera, mostly included in the suborders Pa- 
pilionacete and Ccesalpi niece. The order contains many 
plants common in cultivation, such as the acacias genis- 
tas, Wistaria, etc.; also food-plants, as the kidney -bean, 
Phaseolus vulgaris, anil lucerne, Medieago sativa; some 
are used medicinally, from others are obtained products 
3404 
of commercial value, and a few are poisonous. Also called 
Fabaceee. 
leguminose (le-gu'mi-nos), . [< NL. legu- 
minosus: see leguminous.] Same as legumi- 
nous. 
leguminous (le-gu'mi-nus), a. [= F. legumi- 
HCUX = Sp. Pg. It. leguminoso, < NL. legumino- 
sus, pertaining to pulse, bearing legumes, < L. 
legumen (legumin-), pulse, bean, NL. legume: 
see legume.] 1. Pertaining to pulse ; consist- 
ing of pulse. 2. In bot., bearing legumes as 
seed-vessels; pertaining to plants which bear 
legumes, as peas ; specifically, of or pertaining 
to the Leguminosce. 
Also leguminose. 
lehrbachite (lar'boch-it), . [< Lehrbach (see 
def.) + -ifc 2 .] A rare selenide of lead and mer- 
cury occurring at Lehrbach in the Harz. 
lei-. For scientific words so beginning, see It-, 
lio-. 
Leibnitzian (lib-nit'zi-an), a. and re. [< Leib- 
nitz, often written Leibniz (see def.), + -tan.] 
1. a. Belonging, due, or according to the Ger- 
man philosopher and mathematician Gottfried 
Wilhelm Leibnitz (1646-1716). In philosophy 
Leibnitz taught the doctrine of monads, the identity ofin- 
discernibles, the law of continuity, preestablished har- 
mony, the doctrine of vis viva, innate ideas, a universal 
characteristic, the principle of sufficient reason, theism, 
optimism, etc. He and Newton were independent invent- 
ors of the differential and integral calculus, but the name, 
notation, etc., which have prevailed are those of Leibnitz. 
II. n, A follower of Leibnitz; in math., an 
early student of the infinitesimal calculus. 
Leibnitzianism (lib-nit'zi-an-izm), . [(.Leib- 
nitzian + -ism.] The doctrine and principles of 
the Leibnitzian philosophy. 
Leibnitz's theorem. See theorem. 
leidgert, and a. An obsolete form of ledger 1 . 
leiet, ' A Middle English form of lay 1 . 
leift, re. A Middle English (Scotch) form of 
leave'*. 
leigert, and a. An obsolete form of ledger 1 . 
leiger-du-mainet, An obsolete variant of 
legerdemain. 
leigh 1 (le), re. A different spelling of tea 1 , mea- 
dow or pasture, used as a suffix (-leigh, also -ley, 
-ly) in English place-names, especially in Dev- 
onshire: as, Chndleigh, Chulmfcigr/i.Calverieij/fe. 
leigh a t. An obsolete preterit of Zie 2 . 
leighton (la'ton), . [Also laighton; ME. leigti- 
ton, leyhtun, lahton, < AS. ledhtun, lehtun, a gar- 
den of herbs, < ledc- (changed to ledh- before /), 
herb (see leek), + tun, an inclosure: see town.] 
A garden. [Prov. Eng.] 
leightonwardt, [ME. leihtunward.< AS. "ledli- 
tunweard, lectunweard, a gardener, < ledhtun, a 
garden, + wcard, ward, keeper.] A gardener. 
leikin, [A contr. of lief kin.] A sweetheart. 
Halliwell. [North. Eng.] 
leil, a. Another (Scotch) spelling of leal. 
leimma, . See limma. 
leio-. For scientific words so beginning, see 
lio-. 
Leiophyllum (H-o-fil'um), re. [NL. (Persoon, 
180o), * Gr. AcZof, smooth, + Q'vUov, a leaf.] A 
genus of ericaceous plants of the tribe Rhodo- 
rece, distinguished by the separate lobes of the 
corolla and the terminal corymbose arrange- 
ment of the white to rose-colored flowers. L. 
buxitfolium, the only species, is a small shrub with alter- 
nate oblong or oval evergreen leaves, inhabiting the sandy 
pine-barrens of eastern North America and the mountains 
of Carolina. It is a pretty wild flower, also cultivated, 
known as sand-myrtle. 
Leipoa (li-po'a), re. [NL. (Gould, 1840), also Leio- 
poa, Leiopa, Laiopa, and Liopa; origin uncer- 
tain.] 1. A genus of Australian mound-birds, 
of the family Megapodidai and subfamily Mega- 
podince, having the plumage ocellated. L. ocellata, 
the only species, is about 2 feet long. It is known as the 
native pheasant by the English colonists. Its mounds are 
constructed in a peculiar manner. 
2. [I. c.] A bird of this genus: as, "the ocel- 
lated leipoa," Gould. 
leirt, re. A Middle English form of lair 1 . 
leiset, M. An irregular spelling of lash 1 , 4. 
leisert, re. A Middle English form of leisure. 
leister, lister (les'ter, lis'ter), re. [< Icel. Ijdstr 
= Norw. Ijoster = Sw. Ijuster = Dan. lyster, a 
salmon-spear.] A barbed spear haying three 
or more prongs, for striking and taking fish ; a 
salmon-spear. Also called waster. [Scotch.] 
A three-taed leister on the ither [shoulder] 
Lay, large and lang. 
Burns, Death and Doctor Hornbook. 
leister (les'ter), v. t. [< leister, n.] To strike 
or take with a leister. [Scotch.] 
He [Scott] and Skene of Kubislaw and I were out one 
niaht about midnight, leistering kippels in Tweed. 
, quoted in Personal Traits of Brit. Authors, III. 63. 
leisurely 
Leistes (lis'tez), . [NL. (Swainson, 1826), < 
r/f, Attic hytrrfa, a robber: see Lestes.] 
Gr. 
A genus of American passerine birds of the 
family Icteridce, to which different limits have 
been assigned. It is now restricted to two South 
American species, L. guianensis and L. superciliaris, which 
resemble marsh-blackbirds of the genus Agelarus in form, 
but have the tail short with acute rectrices. The male is 
blackish, with the bend of the wing and most of the under 
parts scarlet. 
leisurable (le'zhur- or lezh'ur-a-bl), a. [For- 
merlyalso leasurdble; < leisure + -able.] 1. Lei- 
sure; spare. [Rare.] 
This ... I had at leisurable hours composed. 
Sir T. Browne, Beligio Medici, Pref. 
2f. Leisurely; not hurried. 
Thus much I say, that by someleigurable trauell it were 
not hard matter to induce all their auncient f eete into vse 
with vs. Pvttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 87. 
leisura'bly (le'zhur- or lezh'ur-a-bli), adv. In. 
a leisurable manner; at leisure; without haste. 
[Rare.] 
But what shall bee their glory and reward thou shalt 
see, if thou wilt leasurably lysten and beholde to the ende 
of the tragedye. Barnes, Works, p. 358. 
leisure (le'zhur or lezh'ur), n. and a. [Early 
mod. E. also leasure, leisbur; with orig. term. 
-er (-er&), irreg. accom. to -ure; < ME. leiser, 
ieisere, leyser, layser, laser, < OF. leisir, lesir, 
laissir, lasir, leizeir, toisir, permission, leisure, 
F. loisir, leisure, < leisir, loisir, be permitted, 
< L. licere, be permitted: see license.] I. n. 1. 
Opportunity for ease or relaxation; freedom 
from necessary occupation or business ; spare 
time. 
His limbs resolv'd through idle leisour, 
Unto sweete sleepe he may securely lend. 
Spenser, Virgil's Gnat, L 141. 
Where other senses want not their delights 
At home in leisure and domestick ease. 
MUtm, S. A., L 917. 
The founding of a new philosophy, the imparting of a 
new direction to the minds of speculators, this was the 
amusement of his leisure. Macaulay, Lord Bacon. 
2. Convenient opportunity; available or com- 
modious time ; hence, convenience ; ease. 
She . . . swoor hir ooth, by Seint Thomas of Kent, 
That she wol been at his comandement 
Whan that she may hir leyser wel espie. 
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, L 107. 
Their vassals, seruaunts and slaues vsed it |hair] short 
or shauen in signe of seruitude and because they had no 
meane nor leasure to kembe and keepe it cleanely. 
PutUnham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 240. 
If your leisure served. I would speak with you. 
Skak., Much Ado, iii. 2. 84. 
Passions must have leisure to digest. 
Bp. Hall, Epistles, ii. 9. 
At leisure [OF. a leisir], free from occupation ; not en- 
gaged : as, I am now at leisure to hear you. 
Go youre wey, and anothir tyme we shall speke more 
at leyser. Merlin (E. K T. S.), i. 7. 
Madam, Mrs. Candour is below, and if your ladyship 's 
at leisure, will leave her carriage. 
Sheridan, School for Scandal, L 1. 
At one's leisure, at one's ease or convenience ; at any 
time otherwise unoccupied : as, do it at your leisure. 
I shall leave with him that rebuke to be considered at 
his leisure. Locke. 
II. a. Free from business ; idle ; unoccupied : 
as, leisure moments. 
I spent my time very agreeably at Damascus, passing my 
leisure hours in the coffee houses, and commonly taking 
my repast in them. 
Pococke, Description of the East, II. i. 126. 
It may be accepted as the old-world assumption that 
the foundation on which the structure known as " Socie- 
ty " is founded is the existence of a leisure class. 
Arch. Forbes, Souvenirs of some Continents, p. 143. 
leisured (le'zhurd or lezh'urd), a. [< leisure 
+ -ed 2 .] Having ample leisure ; not occupied 
with business. 
We are not debating whether government ought to be 
carried on by the people rather than by the leisured classes. 
Gladstone, Gleanings, I. 193. 
Many of the inhabitants belong to the leisured class. 
Encyc. Brit., XXIII. 491. 
leisurely (le'zhur-li or lezh'ur-li), a. [< ME. 
*leiserly, layserlij; < leisure + -ly 1 .] Done at 
leisure; not hasty; deliberate: as, a leisurely 
stroll ; a leisurely survey. 
With leisurely delight she by degrees 
Lifts ev'ry till, does ev'ry drawer draw. 
Sir W. Davenant, Gondibert, iii. 1. 
He . . . was at last taken up into heaven in their sight, 
by a slow and leisurely ascent. 
Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, II. i. 
leisurely (le'zhur-li or le/h'ur-li), adv. [< lei- 
surely, a.] At leisure ; not hastily or hurriedly; 
deliberately. 
