Lily.—A black.—To paint the lily is wasteful—and very silly.
Lilywhite.—A chimney sweeper or negro.
Limbo.—Prison.—As far from help as limbo is from bliss.—Shakespeare.
Line.—An awkward thing to get into. To give any one Line enough, to let him go his lengths. To keep the Line, to be correct.
Lion’s Share.—The larger part; all or nearly all. In “Æsop’s Fables,” several beasts joined the lion in a hunt, but when the spoil was divided, the lion claimed one quarter in right of his prerogative, one for his superior courage, one for his dam and cubs—“as for the other fourth, let who will dispute it with me.” Awed by his frown, the other beasts silently withdrew.
Listener.—The ear.—Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice.
Little Shilling.—Love money:—Just another little shilling ducky!
Lob’s Pound.—A prison, the stocks, or any other place of confinement.
Lothario.—A gay libertine, a seducer of female modesty, a debauchee. The character is from “The Fair Penitent,” by Nicholas Rowe, 1673-1718.
Is this that haughty gallant, gay Lothario? Act v., Sc. 1.