Liodon 
original species was described by Owen in 1841, from the 
Chalk of Norfolk. Large forms abounded in America dur- 
ing the same period. L. proriger of the Kansas beds was 
75 feet long. L. dyspelor was still larger. Also spelled 
Leiodon. 
Lioglossa (li-o-glos'a), n. pi. [NL., < Gr. foi- 
7/k<rof, smooth-tongued, < A0f, smooth, + 
yiijaoa, the tongue.] A primary division of 
octopod cephalopoda, characterized by the non- 
development of a radula. The only known 
forms belong to the family Cirroteuthiace. Also 
spelled Leioglossa. 
lioglossate (IJ-o-glos'at), a. [As Lioglossa + 
-ate 1 .] Smooth-tongued; having no radula, as 
a member of the group Lioglossa. Also spelled 
leioglossate. 
Lioiepis(ll-ol'e-pis),. [NL.,<Gr.^iof,smooth, 
+ /Ujrif, a scale, rind, husk : see lepis.] A genus 
of acrodont agamoid lizards, having the skin of 
the sides expansible into wing-like organs sup- 
ported on long spurious ribs, the scales small 
and ecarinate, the tympanum naked, and fem- 
oral pores present. L. sulcatus is a flying- 
dragon of the Malay peninsula and China, 
about 20 inches long. Also spelled Leiolepis. 
liomyoma (li"o-mi-6'ma), n.; pi. liomyomata 
(-ma-tii). [Nil, < Gr. fai'of, smooth, + NL. my- 
oma.] A myoma composed of smooth (that is, 
non-striated) muscle-fiber. Also spelled leio- 
myoma. 
lion (H'on), n. [Early mod. E. also lyon; < ME. 
lion, lioun, lyoun, Hun, also lean, leoun, leun, < 
AF. linn, OF. lion, leon, F. lion = Pr. leo = Sp. 
lean = Pg. leao = It. leone, Hone = AS. led 
(gen. dat. ledn, dat. also ledne, Ie6nan) = OS. 
leo = OFries. lawa, NFries. lieuwe = D. leeuw 
= MLG. lauwe, LG. louwe, lauwe = OHG. lewe, 
louwo, MHG. lewe, louwe, louwe, G. lowe = Icel. 
leo, leon, Ijon = 8w. lejon = Dan. love (cf . OBulg. 
Hvii = Bulg. l&v = Serv. lav = Bohem. lev = 
Pol. lew = Euss. levu = Lith. levas, lavas = 
Lett, lamias, all < OHG.) = Croatian lijun = 
Albanian luan, < L. leo (leon-), < Gr. Uuv (Aeovr-), 
a lion ; prob. of Semitic or Egyptian origin ; cf . 
Heb. labP, OEgypt. labu, Coptic labvj, a lion.] 
1. A quadruped of the genus Felis, F. leo, the 
largest of all carnivorous animals,distinguished 
by its tawny or yellow color, a full flowing mane 
in the male, a tufted tail, and the disappearance 
Head of Lion (Ftlti 
s letf), from photograph by Dixon, London. 
of the feline markings in both sexes before they 
arrive at maturity. The largest are from 8 to 9 feet in 
length. The lion is a native of Africa and the warm regions 
of Asia. He preys chiefly on live animals, avoiding carrion 
unless impelled by extreme hunger. He approaches his 
prey with stealthy movements, crouching for the spring, 
which is accompanied with a terrific roar. The whole 
frame is most powerful and impressive, giving with the 
large head and ample mane that majestic appearance to 
the animal from which he derives his title of "king of 
beasts." Of the African lion there are several varieties, as 
the Barbary, Gambian, Senegal, and Cape lions. The 
Asiatic varieties are generally distinguished as the Ben- 
gal, the Persian or Arabian, and the maneless lion of 
Gujerat. 
The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and 
strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey 
and his dens with ravin. Nahum ii. 12. 
2. Figuratively, a lion-like person; a man 
possessing the courage, fierceness, etc., of a 
lion. 
There were about two hundred men on horseback, arm- 
ed with firelocks ; all of them liana, if you believed their 
word or appearance. Bruce, Source of the Nile, 1. 170 
3470 
3. leap.] In astron., a constellation and sign 
of the zodiac. See Leo, 1. 
Now next at this opposicioun, 
Which in the signe shal be of the Leoun. 
Chaucer, Franklin's Tale, 1. 330. 
4. In lier., a representation of a lion used as a 
bearing. There are various attitudes in which it is rep- 
resented, forming as many different bearings, viz.: pas- 
sant, passant gardant or leoparde, passant regardant, ram- 
pant, rampant gardant, rampant regardant, salient, com- 
batant (when two lions are rampant and face to face, also 
called counter-rampant), statant, statant gardant, sejant, 
couchant, and coward. (See these words.) Furthermodi- 
fications of these bearings may exist, but are rare. An- 
ciently the blazon was "a lion" only when the creature 
was rampant ; when passant gardant, as on the shield of 
England, it was called lion leopard^, and also leopard. The 
lion is always langued and armed gules unless the field is 
gules, when it is langued and armed azure. 
No Mon hedde scheld of schrif te ; 
The deuel stod lyk a^onraumpaunt. 
Holy Rood (E. E. T. S.), p. 145. 
git to knaw neidful is xv maneris of lionyg in armys. 
Booke of Precedence (E. E. T. S., extra ser.), i. 98. 
5. (a) A gold coin current in Scotland from the 
time of Eobert III. to the reign of James VI.: so 
called from the lion on the obverse of the coin. 
Under Mary it was worth 44 shillings Scotch ; under James 
VI. (when it was called the lion noble), 74 shillings Scotch. 
Half-lions were also coined, (ft) A copper coin: 
same as hardhead, 2. 6. An object of interest 
and curiosity ; especially, a celebrated or con- 
spicuous person who is much sought by society 
or by the public in general : as, to visit the lions 
of the place; such a one is the lion of the day. 
The use is an extension of lion in its literal sense, with 
reference to the lions formerly kept at the Tower in Lon- 
don. See the first quotation. 
The lions of the Tower are the origin of that application 
of the term lion to any conspicuous spectacle or personage 
which has long since become universal. 
Lecky, Eng. in 18th Cent., iv. 
Such society was far more enjoyable than that of Edin- 
burgh, for here was not a lion, but a man. J. Wilson. 
After dinner the palanquins went forward with my ser- 
vant, and the captain and I took a ride to see the lions of 
the neighborhood. Macaulay, in Trevelyan, I. 324. 
A lion In the way. (a) A danger or obstacle to be faced 
and overcome. 
Lancelot shouted, " Stay me not ! 
I have been the sluggard, and I ride apace, 
For now there is a lion in the way." 
Tennyson, Holy Grail. 
(6) An imaginary danger, trumped up by cowardice or 
sloth. 
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way ; a lion 
is in the streets. Prov. xxvi, 13. 
They f ear'd not the bug-bear danger nor the Lyon in the 
way that the sluggish and timorous Politician thinks he 
sees. Milton, Reformation in Eng., ii. 
American lion, mountain lion. Same as cougar. 
Blanch lion. See blanchi. British lion, the lion as 
the national emblem of Great Britain. 
The British Lion . . . cannot always have a worthy 
enemy to combat, or a battle royal to deliver. 
Thackeray, Virginians, Ixiv. 
Lion dollar. See dollar. Lion of Cotswold or Cots- 
wold lion, a sheep. [Prov. Eng.] 
Lo then the mystery from whence the name 
Of Cotsold lyons first to England came. 
Harrington, Epigr., B. iii. Ep. 18. (Naret.) 
Lion Of St. Mark, a symbolical lion represented as winged, 
and holding an open book, on which is written pax tibi, 
Marce, Evangelista meus, or a part of this. It is the char- 
acteristic device of Venice. The full heraldic description 
requires a sword with the point uppermost above the book 
on the dexter side and a glory surrounding the whole. The 
lion also is sejant : but in artistic representations this is 
continually departed from. Lion's provider, (a) A 
popular name for the jackal. (i>) Any humble friend or 
follower who acts as a sycophant or foil to another. 
Lion's Share, the largest share ; an unduly large share ; 
usually, any excessive appropriation made by one of two 
or more persons from something in which all have an equal 
right or interest, but sometimes without any invidious 
sense: as, the lion's share of attention. The phrase alludes 
to jEsop's fable of the lion, who, hunting in partnership 
with the fox and wolf, claimed one third of the prey as his 
agreed portion, one third by right of sovereignty, and the 
other third on general principles. Lion tricorporate, in 
her., a bearing representing three rampant bodies of lions 
springing or proceeding from the three corners of the 
escutcheon and having a common head aff rente. Order 
Of the Lion, the name of several orders in Germany, etc 
especially, an order founded in 1816 by William I., first 
king of the Netherlands, and continued by the later 
kings. It is an order for civil merit. The badge is a star 
lionize 
of eight points, having in the central medallion a rampant 
lion and crown, and a golden W between each two arms. 
To put one's head into the lion's mouth, to put 
one's self in a position of great danger, as in the power 
of an enemy. 
lion-ant (li'on-ant), . Same as ant-lion. 
Lionardesqiie (le"o-niir-desk'), a. and n. Same 
as Leonardesque. 
lionced, leonced (li'-, le'onst), . [< OF. lioncel 
+ E. -ed 2 .] In her., adorned with lions' heads, 
as a cross the ends of which terminate in lions' 
heads. 
lioncel, lioncelle (li'on-sel), . [< OF. lioncel, 
leoncel, F. lioneeau (= Sp. leoncello = It. leon- 
cello, Uoncello), dim. of lion, leon, a lion: see 
Hon.] In her., a small or young lion used as a 
bearing. When a number of lions are represented on 
the same field or ordinary, they are assumed to be lioncels 
and are blazoned as such. Also lionel. 
lion-dog (li'on-dog), n. A variety of dog with 
a flowing mane. 
lion-dragon (li'on-drag' / on), n. In her., an ima- 
ginary beast having the fore part of a lion end- 
ing in the hind part of a wyvern. 
lionel (U'on-el), B. [< OF. lionel, lionnel, lio- 
neau, etc., dim. of lion, a lion: see Hon.] 1. A 
lion's whelp; a young lion. 2. In her., same 
as lioncel. 
lioness (li'on-es), n. [< ME. lionesse, leonesse, 
leonys, lyoneys, < OF. (also F.) Honnesse (= It. 
leonessa, lionessa), f em. of lion, lion : see lion.] 
1. The female of the lion. 
A lioness hath whelped in the streets. 
Shak., J. C., ii. 2. 17. 
The gaunt lionness, with hunger bold, 
Springs from the mountains tow'rd the guarded fold. 
Pope, Iliad, x. 214. 
2. A woman who is an object of public inter- 
est and curiosity ; rarely, a boldly conspicuous 
woman. See lion, 6. 
For the last three months Miss Newcome has been the 
greatest lioness in London. 
Thackeray, Newcomes, xli. (Davies.) 
" Now, boys, keep your eyes open, there must be plenty 
of lionesses about :" and thus warned, the whole load, in- 
cluding the cornopean player, were on the look-out for 
lady visitors, profanely called lionesses. 
T. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, xxv. (Davies.) 
The reaction against the over-sentimentalism of 1830 
which found expression in the Lionesses of 1840 de- 
voted to masculine sport who, in their turn, were swept 
away by the storm of 48. Westminster Rev., CXXVIII. 951. 
lionet (li'on-et), n. [< lion + dim. -et.] A 
young or small lion. 
He himself thrust just into the press, and, making force 
and fury wait upon discretion and government, he might 
seem a brave lion who taught his young lionets how, in 
taking of a prey, to join courage with cunning. 
Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, iii. 
lion-heart (U'on-hart), n. One who has great 
courage. 
lion-hearted (H'on-har"ted), a. Having a lion's 
heart or courage; brave and magnanimous: 
as, Richard the Lion-liearteA (Richard Coeur de 
Lion King Richard I. of England). 
Arabian mothers long awed their infants to silence with 
the name of the lion-hearted Plantagenet. 
Macaulay, Hist. Eng., i. 
lion-hunter (H'on-hun // ter), n. 1. One who 
pursues the lion as a beast of the chase. 2. 
A person given to the pursuit or lionizing of 
notabilities. See lion, 6. 
One of the greatest dangers to all genius is that of 
being robbed of its vital strength by velvety-pawed lion- 
hunters. Harper's Mag., LXXVIII. 417. 
lionise, v. See lionize. 
lionism (li'on-izm), n. [< lion + -ism.] The 
practice of lionizing; the treating of persons 
or things as lions in the figurative sense ; the 
pursuit or adulation of celebrities. See lion, 6. 
An anecdote or two maybe added to bear out the occa- 
sional references to the honours and humours of lionism 
which they contain. 
Charley, Mem. of Mrs. Hemans, ii. 25. (Daisies.) 
All common Lionism, which ruins many men, was no- 
thing to this. Carlyle. 
lionize (li'pn-iz),^.; pret. and pp. lionised, ppr. 
lionizing. [< lion + -ize.] I. trans. 1. To treat 
as a lion, or as an object of curiosity and in- 
terest. See lion, n., 6. 
Can he do nothing for his Burns but lionise him? 
Carlyle, Past and Present, iv. 6. 
Tennyson hates being lionized. 
Caroline Fox, Journal, p. 272. 
Besides this, however, . . . [Liszt] allowed himself, with 
his usual good nature, to be lionised, and dragged from con- 
cert to concert. Fortnightly Ren., XL. 357. 
2. To exhibit objects of curiosity to. [Rare.] 
He had Konixd the distinguished visitors during the 
last few days over the University. 
Disraeli, Lothair, xxiv. (Daniel.) 
3. To visit or explore as a sight-seer: as, to 
lionise Niagara. [Rare.] 
