lettering-tool 
of wood, in which types are fastened by means 
of a side-screw, used by the finisher in the let- 
tering of books. 
letterize (let'er-iz), . *'. ; pret. and pp. letirrizrd, 
ppr. lettcrisinr/. [< letter'* + -ize.] To write 
letters or epistles. Lamb. [Bare.] 
letterleaf (let'er-lef), . An orchid of the ge- 
nus Grammatopliyllum: so named from its fig- 
ured leaves. Also called letter-plant. 
letterless (let'er-les), a. [< letter^ + -less.] 
Unlettered; illiterate; not learned. 
A meer daring letterless commander can, in a rational 
way, promise himself no more success in his enterprise 
than a mastif can in his contest with a lion. 
Waterhouse, Apology (1653), p. 125. 
There was an illiterate generation, and a letterless race 
to be educated. The Century, XXVIII. 157. 
letter-lichen (let'er-li"ken), n. A lichen of the 
genus Opegrapha. The apothecium assumes 
irregularly stellate or radiate forms, suggest- 
ing written characters. Also called scripture- 
wort. 
letterling (let'er-ling), n. [< letter* + -lingl.] 
A little letter. Imp. Diet. 
letter-lock (let'er-lok), n. A form of permu- 
tation-lock, in which the combinations are in- 
dicated by particular arrangements of pieces 
marked with letters. 
letternt (let'em), n. See lectern. 
letter-name (let'er-nam), n. In musical nota- 
tion, the alphabetic name or symbol of tones, 
of keys of the keyboard, of degrees of the staff, 
or of notes placed upon such degrees and rep- 
resenting such tones or keys. See keyboard, 
notation, staff. Also letter. 
letter-office (let'er-pf "is), n. A place for the de- 
posit and distribution of letters ; a post-office. 
letteront, ' An obsolete form of lectern. 
letter-ornament (let'er-6r"na-ment), n. A dec- 
oration made up of the forms'of letters, in some 
letter-ornaments the letters are complete and legible, 
and usually, though not necessarily, forming words, as is 
common in Russian art and in modern art of the Levant, 
as on metal-work. In others the letters are modified or 
wholly changed for decorative effect, or parts only of the 
letters are given, as sometimes in Byzantine art and in 
European imitations of it, and also in early northern dec- 
oration, Anglo-Saxon, etc. 
letter-paper (let'er-pa"per), n. Paper for writ- 
ing letters on ; specifically, paper of an inter- 
mediate size between note-paper and foolscap, 
usually quarto, as distinguished from the oc- 
tavo form of note-paper. 
letter-perfect (let'er-per"fekt), a. Perfect to 
the letter in committing anything to memory ; 
having a part or a speech thoroughly memo- 
rized: used especially of actors. 
letter-plant (let'er-plant), n. Same as tetter- 
letterpress (let'er-pres), n. and a. [< letter^, 
type, + press*, print.] I. n. Letters or words 
impressed on paper or other material from print- 
ing-types ; printed text : so called when subor- 
dinate to or in contrast with illustrations. 
The letterpress with which the illustration is accompa- 
3422 
letter-winged (let'er-wingd), a. Having the 
wings marked as if with letters: specifically 
said of a kite, Elanus scriptus. P. L. Sclater. 
letter-wood (let'er-wud), n. The heart-wood 
of the South American tree Brosimum Aiiblt Hi. 
It is extremely hard, of a beautiful brown color with black 
spots, which have been compared to hieroglyphics ; hence 
the name, which is also applied to the tree. Being rare 
and costly, the wood is used in cabinet-work for veneer- 
ing only. 
letter-Writer (let' er-ri'tte), n. 1. One who 
writes letters; specifically, one whose profes- 
sion it is to write letters for others. 
The same desire impels thousands of people to write 
letters to the newspapers ; but these letter-writers are not 
usually journalists. Athentxum, Jan. 14, 1888, p. 43. 
2. A book containing rules and examples for 
the use of persons unskilled in the writing of 
letters. 
Lettic (let'ik), a. and n. [< Lett + -ic.] I. a. 
Of or pertaining to the Letts or their congeners ; 
related to the Letts: as, the Lettic language; 
the Samoghitians are a Lettic people. Lettic race 
is a general term for the Letts, Lithuanians, 
and Borussians or Old Prussians. 
II. n. Same as Lettish. 
lettice 1 !, n. An obsolete spelling of lettuce. 
Iettice 2 t, n. An obsolete form of lattice. 
Iettice 3 t (let'is), n. [Early mod. E. also lettyee; 
< OF. letice, letisse, lattice, an animal of a very 
white color, supposed to be an ermine, also a 
white fur, < F. lait, < L. lac (lact-), milk: see 
lettuce.] A kind of fur, white or very light-col- 
ored, in use as late as the middle of the sixteenth 
century. 
You shall charge your seines with many [furs], ... as 
good marterns, milliners, otherwise called Lettis. 
Hakluyt's Voyages, 1. 298. 
lettice-capM, >. [Perhaps < lettice 1 + cap 1 , in 
allusion to lettice-cap 2 .] A soporific in which 
lettuce is supposed to have been a leading in- 
gredient. 
Bring in the lettice-cap. Yon must be shaved, sir ; 
And then how suddenly we'll make you sleep ! 
Fletcher, Monsieur Thomas, iii. 1. 
Iettice-cap 2 t, . [< lettice 2 (?) = lattice (see quot. 
from Nares), or lettice^, + cap 1 .] A kind of cap. 
.-cap it wears 
A lettice-cap was originally a lattice-cap that is, a net 
cap which resembles lattice work. Nares. 
Lettish (let'ish), a. and n. [< Lett + -ish 1 .] I. 
a. Of or pertaining to the division of the Lettic 
or Lithuanian race distinctively called Letts : 
as, the Lettish language ; Lettish customs. 
II. n. The language spoken by the Letts, a 
branch of the Indo-European family, closely re- 
lated to Slavonian or Slavic. Also Lettic. 
lettre-de-cachet (let'r-de-ka-sha"), n. [F.: let- 
ire, letter ; de, of : cachet, seal : see letter^, de%, 
cachet.] See cachet. 
lettruret, n. See letterure. 
Lettsomia (let-so'mi-a), n. [NL. (W. Rox- 
burgh, 1824), named after J. C. Lettsom, an Eng- 
lish naturalist.! ' 
II. a. Consisting of, relating to, or employed 
in printing from types: as, letterpress printing. 
letter-press (let'er-pres), n. [< letters, a writ- 
ing, + prettl, printing-machine.] A press for 
copying letters by transfer; a copying-press. 
letter-punch (let'er-punch), n. A steel punch 
on the end of which a letter is engraved. Such 
punches are used for making matrices for printing-type, 
as well as for making an impression on metal etc when 
applied against the surface and struck with a hammer 
letter-rack (let'er-rak), n. 1. A tray divided 
into small compartments in which large types 
of wood are ranged. 2. A rack or small frame, 
usually ornamented, in which letters, arranged 
as answered and unanswered or otherwise, are 
kept. 
letter-scale (let'er-skal), . Same as letter- 
balance. 
letter-stamp (let'er-stamp), n. A stamp used 
in a post-office for canceling postage-stamps, 
or for stamping on letters or packages various 
notices or remarks, such as the place of mailing, 
instructions for the carrier, etc. 
letteruret, lettruret, n. [ME., < OF. letterure, 
lettrure,letrciirc,< L. Kerawra,Keratera, learn- 
ing, letters, literature: see literature.] 1. Learn- 
ing; letters; literature. 
Al conne he letterure or conne he noon 
As in effect he shal fynde it al oon. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Canon's Yeoman's Tale, 1. 293. 
2. Writing; scripture. 
"Lo!" seith holy letterrure, "whiche lordes beth this 
shrewes ! " Piers Plmmium (B), x. 27. 
a soft, several-seeded berry. There are 32 species, 
found in eastern India, southern China, and the Malay 
archipelago, twining or climbing vines with alternate 
leaves and dense corymbose cymes in the axils. Some 
of the species are used medicinally. L. grandijlora is an 
evergreen shrub cultivated in greenhouses under the name 
of Lettsmn's tea-plant. 
lettsomite (let'som-It), n. [After W. G. Lett- 
som, an English mineralogist.] A basic sul- 
phate of copper, of a bright-blue color: same 
as cyanotrichite. 
lettuce (let'is), n. [Early mod. E. also lettice; 
< ME. letuce, < OF. "laitiice, letuce, usually lai- 
tue, letue, F. laitue (> D. latuw) = Sp. lechuga = 
It. lattuga = AS. laetuce = OHG. lattuh, lattouch, 
latoch, latohha, MHG. lateche, latech, lattech, G. 
lattieh = Sw.T>an.laktuk,<. L. lactuca, lettuce, so 
called from its milky juice, < lac (lact-), milk : 
see lactate.] 1. A garden-herb, Lactuca sativa, 
a hardy annual, extensively cultivated for use 
as a salad. It is believed by some to be derived from 
L. Scariola (including L. virosa). There are many varie- 
ties of the garden-plant, which may be grouped as cabbage- 
lettuces, low forms with depressed cabbage-like heads, and 
Cos lettuces, erect-growing varieties having the head long 
and tapering downward. 
The bason then being brought up to the bishop, he often 
dipped a large lettice into it, and several times sprinkled 
all the people. Pococke, Description of the East, II. i. 18. 
These are creeping Lettuces of a very milky Juice, like 
their Is ame. jr. Bailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, 1. 302. 
Letuce of lac derivyed is perchaunce ; 
flor mylk it hath or yeveth abundaunce. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 51. 
2. Any plant of the genus Lactuca ; also, a plant 
having some resemblance to Lactuca Blue 
leucaniline 
lettuce, a plant of the section Mulgedium of the genus 
Lactuca, with blue flowers. (V. 8. J Cabbage-lettuce, 
Cos lettuce, see def. 1. Drumhead lettuce, a variety 
of cabbage-lettuce. False lettuce. Same as Uue let- 
tuce. Frog's lettuce, a species of pondweed, Potamo- 
geton densiu. [Prov. Eng.] Garden-lettuce. See def. 1. 
Indian lettuce, the American columbo,Fro*era Canli- 
nensis; also, the false wintergreen, Pyrula ntund\folia. 
Lamb's lettuce, corn-salad, Valerianella (which see). 
Loafed lettucet. See loafi. Prickly lettuce, Lactuca 
Scariola. Sea-lettuce, the seaweed Ulm Lactuca. Also 
called lettuce-laver. [Eng.] Wall-lettuce, Lactuca mu- 
ralis. [Eng. j Water-lettuce, Pistia StratMes of the 
tropics. white lettuce, Prmanthes alba or kindred spe- 
cies. Also called lion's-foot, rattleitnake-rvot, etc. Wild 
lettuce, (a) In England, Lactuca Scariola. (b) In Amer- 
ica, Lactuca Canadensis. Also called trumpetweed and 
trumpet-milkweed, (c) Sometimes the same as blue lettuce. 
lettuce-bird (let'is-berd), H. The thistle-bird 
or common American goldfinch, Chrysomitris 
tristis. [Local, U. S.] 
lettuce-opium (let'is-6'pi-um), n. Lactuca- 
rium. 
lettuce-saxifrage (let'is-sak"si-fraj), n. A 
plant of the Alleghany mountains, Saxifraga 
erosa, the leaves of which have sharply erose 
teeth. 
letuaryt, . See electuary. 
let-up (let'up), n. [< let up, verb phrase under 
left, i'.] A cessation of restraint or obstruc- 
tion ; release ; relaxation ; intermission, as of 
labor. [Colloq., U. S.] 
Our little let-up Wednesday afternoons ... Is sure to 
come, while the let-ups we get other days, . . . you can't 
be sure whether you're going to get them or not. 
The Century, XXVIII. 588. 
leu (la), .; pi. lei (le). [Rumanian.] A mod- 
ern silver coin of Rumanisr, the unit of the 
monetary system, equivalent to the French 
franc, or about 19 United States cents. 
Leucadendron (lu-ka-den'drpn), n. [NL. (R. 
Brown, 1809), irreg.<"Gr. /Utwdf, white, + 6iv6pw, 
a tree.} A genus of plants of the order Protea- 
ce<K and tribe Proteece, distinguished by having 
the regular dioecious flowers in heads in both 
sexes. There are about 70 species, shrubs and trees, na- 
tives of South Africa. L. argcnteum, the silver tree or 
witteboom, is native only on a slope of the Table Moun- 
tain near Cape Town, and has been nearly exterminated 
for fuel. Its white silvery leaves make it highly ornamen- 
tal, and they are much used in Christmas decorations. 
Other species also are cultivated. 
leucaemia, leucaemia. See leucemia, leucemic. 
Leucania (lu-ka'ni-a). . [NL., < Gr. Acwof, 
white : see leucous.] " A genus of noctuid moths 
founded by Hub- 
ner in 1816. it 
is characterized by 
full hairy eyes, 
smooth front, well- 
developed palpi, 
strong tongue, sim- 
ple antennee, hairy 
unarmed legs, 
rounded collar, 
quadrate slightly 
tufted thorax, and 
untufted abdomen. 
L. unipuncta is the 
adult of the well- 
known army-worm 
(which see). L.albi- 
linea is the adult 
of the wheat-head 
army-worm, an in- 
sectwhich occasion- 
ally appears i n great 
numbers and feeds 
upon heads of wheat 
and rye. There are 
two annual genera- 
tions, and the insect 
hibernates as pupa 
underground. 
Leucaniidse (lu- 
ka-ni'i-de),H.7>/. 
[NL., < Leuca- 
nia + -ida;.] A 
group of noctuid 
moths, repre- 
sented by the 
genus Leucania, 
and regarded as 
a family. There 
are about 20geu- 
era,widelydis- 
tributed. Also 
called Leuca- 
nidce. 
leucaniline 
(lu-kau'i-lin), 
n.' [< Gr. teti- 
n6c, white, + 
E. aniline.] A 
white crystal- 
1I 'U * Wheat-head Army-worm \LeHcantaalbi- 
nne substance MM). 
(Con Hoi No) a, a, larvte on a wheat-head ; b, eggs (nat- 
f^i.^n/7P./^l^w nralsizel; c , rf, egg (top and side views, 
forming COlOr- magnified ; lower figure; male moth. 
