Lacuna, la-kū′na, n. a gap or hiatus:—pl. Lacū′næ.—n. Lacū′nar, a sunken panel or coffer in a ceiling or a soffit: a ceiling containing such.—adjs. Lacū′nose, furrowed: pitted; Lacū′nous. [L. lacuna, anything hollow—lacus, a lake.]
Lacustrine, la-kus′trin, adj. pertaining to lakes.—Also Lacus′tral, Lacus′trian. [From L. lacus, a lake.]
Lad, lad, n. a boy: a youth: (Scot.) a lover:—fem. Lass.—n. Lad′die, a little lad: a boy.—Lad's love, a provincial name of the southernwood. [M. E. ladde—Ir. lath, a youth, champion (W. llawd). Mr H. Bradley suggests that M. E. ladde, a servant, coincides with the adjectival form of the past participle of the verb to lead, the original meaning thus being 'one led in the train of a lord.']
Ladanum, lad′a-num, n. a resinous exudation from the leaves of a shrub growing round the Mediterranean.—Also Lab′danum. [L.,—Gr. lēdanon—Pers. lādan. See Laudanum.]
Ladder, lad′ėr, n. a frame made with steps placed between two upright pieces, by which one may ascend a building, &c.: anything by which one ascends: a gradual rise. [A.S. hlǽder; Ger. leiter.]
Lade, lād, v.t. to burden: to throw in or out, as a fluid, with a ladle or dipper.—n. (Scot.) a load: a water-course: the mouth of a river.—n. Lad′ing, the act of loading: that which is loaded: cargo: freight. [A.S. hladan, pt. hlód, hladen, to load, to draw out water; Dut. laden; Ger. be-laden.]
Ladin, la-dēn′, n. a Romance tongue spoken in the Engadine valley in Switzerland and the upper Inn valley in Tyrol. [L. Latinus, Latin.]
Ladino, la-dē′nō, n. the old Castilian tongue: the Spanish jargon of some Turkish Jews: a Central American of mixed white and Indian blood.
Ladle, lād′l, n. a large spoon for lifting out liquid from a vessel: the float-board of a mill-wheel: an instrument for drawing the charge from a cannon.—v.t. to lift with a ladle.—ns. Lad′leful, the quantity in a ladle:—pl. Lad′lefuls.—Ladle furnace, a small gas furnace heated by a Bunsen burner, for melting metals, &c. [A.S. hlædel—hladan, to lade.]
Ladrone, la-drōn′, n. a robber. [Sp.,—L. latro.]