Levite, lē′vīt, n. a descendant of Levi: an inferior priest of the ancient Jewish Church.—adjs. Levit′ic, -al.—adv. Levit′ically.—n. Levit′icus, the third book of the Old Testament.—Levitical degrees, the degrees of kindred within which marriage was forbidden in Lev. xviii. 6-18.
Levity, lev′it-i, n. lightness of weight: lightness of temper or conduct: thoughtlessness: disposition to trifle: vanity. [L. levitat-em—lĕvis, light.]
Levogyrate (Læv-), lē-vō-jī′rāt, adj. causing to turn toward the left hand.—n. Levogyrā′tion.—adj. Levogy′rous.
Levulose, lev′ū-lōs, n. a sugar isomeric with dextrose, but turning the plane of polarisation to the left. [L. lævus, left.]
Levy, lev′i, v.t. to raise: to collect by authority, as an army or a tax:—pr.p. lev′ying; pa.t. and pa.p. lev′ied.—n. the act of collecting by authority: the troops so collected. [L. levāre, to raise.]
Lew, lū, adj. tepid, lukewarm. [Cf. Ger. lau.]
Lewd, lūd, or lōōd, adj. lustful: unchaste: debauched: ignorant, vicious, or bad, so in B.—adv. Lewd′ly.—ns. Lewd′ness; Lewd′ster, one addicted to lewdness. [A.S. lǽwede, ignorant, belonging to the laity, the pa.p. of the verb lǽwan, to weaken.]
Lewis, lū′is, n. a contrivance for securing a hold on a block of stone to allow of its being raised by a derrick.—Also Lew′isson. [Ety. dub.]
Lexicon, leks′i-kon, n. a word-book or dictionary.—adj. Lex′ical, belonging to a lexicon.—adv. Lex′ically.—n. Lexicog′rapher, one skilled in lexicography.—adjs. Lexicograph′ic, -al.—ns. Lexicog′raphist, Lexicol′ogist, one skilled in lexicology; Lexicog′raphy, the art of compiling a dictionary; Lexicol′ogy, that branch of philology which treats of the proper signification and use of words.—adjs. Lexigraph′ic, -al, pertaining to lexigraphy.—n. Lexig′raphy, the art of defining words. [Gr.,—lexis, a word, legein, to speak.]
Ley, lē, n. Same as Lea.