Laund, lawnd, n. (Shak.) a park. [O. Fr. lande; prob. Celt. See Lawn.]
Laundress, lawn′dres, n. a woman who washes and irons clothes.—n. Laun′der, a washerwoman or washerman: a trough for conveying water.—v.t. to wash and iron, as clothes: (Shak.) to wet, wash.—ns. Laun′dry, a place where clothes are washed and dressed; Laun′dry-man, -maid, a male, female, worker in a laundry. [M. E. lavander—O. Fr. lavandier—L., gerundive of lavāre to wash.]
Laura, law′ra, n. an early kind of monastic community, its cells separate structures, the inmates living in solitude, meeting only for common services in the chapel—found only in Egypt, Syria, and Palestine. [Most prob. Gr. laura, an alley, lane.]
Laureate, law′re-āt, adj. crowned with laurel.—n. one crowned with laurel: a poet-laureate.—v.t. to crown with laurel, in token of literary merit: to confer a degree upon.—ns. Lau′reateship, office of a laureate; Laureā′tion, act of laureating or conferring a degree; Pō′et-lau′reate, formerly one who received a degree in grammar (i.e. poetry and rhetoric) at the English universities: a poet bearing that honorary title, a salaried officer in the royal household, appointed to compose annually an ode for the king's birthday and other suitable occasions.
Laurel, law′rel, n. the bay-tree, used by the ancients for making honorary wreaths: a crown of laurel, honours gained (freq. in pl.): any species of the genus Laurus.—adjs. Lau′rel; Lau′relled, crowned with laurel.—n. Lau′rel-wa′ter, a sedative and narcotic water distilled from the leaves of the cherry-laurel.—adjs. Laurif′erous, producing laurel; Lau′riger, laurel-wearing.—n Laurustī′nus, an evergreen shrub. [Fr. laurier—L. laurus.]
Laurentian, law-ren′shi-an, adj. pertaining to Lorenzo or Laurentius dei Medici, or to the Laurentian library founded by him at Florence: of or pertaining to the river St Lawrence: applied to a series of rocks covering a large area in the region of the Upper Lakes of North America.
Lauwine, law′vin, n. (Byron) an avalanche. [Ger., from Low L. lavina, prob. L. labi, to fall.]
Lav, lav, n. word—in lavengro, word-master. [Gypsy.]
Lava, lä′va, n. the melted matter discharged from a burning mountain, that flows down its sides. [It. lava, a stream—L. lavāre, to wash.]
Lave, lāv, v.t. and v.i. to wash: to bathe.—ns. Lā′vabo, the ritual act of washing the celebrant's fingers after the offertory, before proceeding with the eucharistic service—from Lavabo manus meas in innocentia (Ps. xxvi. 6): a stone basin in monasteries for washing in before meals or religious exercises: a modern convenience or lavatory of similar kind; Lā′vage, a washing out; Lavā′tion, a washing or cleansing; Lav′atory, a place for washing: a medieval stone table in monasteries, &c., on which bodies were washed before burial: (med.) a lotion for a diseased part; Lā′ver, a large vessel for laving or washing. [Fr. laver—L. lavāre, -ātum; Gr. louein, to wash.]