Lumbago, lum-bā′gō, n. a rheumatic affection of the muscles or fibrous tissues in the lumbar region.—adjs. Lumbag′inous; Lum′bar, Lum′bal, pertaining to, or near, the loins. [L.,—lumbus, loin.]
Lumber, lum′bėr, n. anything cumbersome or useless: timber sawed or split for use.—v.t. to fill with lumber: to heap together in confusion.—n. Lum′berer, one employed in felling timber and bringing it from the forest.—adj. Lum′bering, filling with lumber: putting in confusion.—n. Lum′ber-room, a room for holding things not in use. [Fr. Lombard—Ger. Langbart; the lumber-room being orig. the Lombard-room or place where the Lombards, the medieval bankers and pawnbrokers, stored their pledges.]
Lumber, lum′bėr, v.i. to move heavily. [Scand.; prov. Sw. lomra, to resound, Ice. hljómr, a sound.]
Lumbrical, lum′brik-al, adj. (anat.) worm-like.—adj. Lumbric′iform. [L. lumbricus, a worm.]
Luminary, lū′min-ar-i, n. any body which gives light, esp. one of the heavenly bodies: one who illustrates any subject or instructs mankind.—adj. Lū′minant, emitting light.—n. an illuminating agent.—n. Luminā′tion, a lighting up.—v.t. Lū′mine (Spens.), to illumine.—adjs. Luminif′erous, transmitting light; Lū′minous, giving light: shining: illuminated: clear: lucid.—adv. Lū′minously.—ns. Lū′minousness, Luminos′ity.—Luminous paint, a phosphorescent powder, such as sulphide or oxysulphide of calcium, ground up with a colourless varnish or other medium, and used as a paint. [L. lumen, luminis, light—lucēre, to shine.]
Lummy, lum′i, adj. (slang) knowing, cute.
Lump, lump, n. a small shapeless mass: a protuberance: swelling: the whole together: the gross.—v.t. to throw into a confused mass: to take in the gross.—ns. Lump′er, a labourer employed in the lading or unlading of ships: (prov.) a militiaman; Lump′fish, a clumsy sea-fish with a short, deep, and thick body and head, and a ridge on its back, also called Lump′sucker, from the power of its sucker.—adjs. Lump′ing, in a lump: heavy: bulky; Lump′ish, like a lump: heavy: gross: dull.—adv. Lump′ishly.—ns. Lump′ishness; Lump′-sug′ar, loaf-sugar in small pieces.—adj. Lump′y, full of lumps.—In the lump, in gross. [Scand., Norw. lump, a block; Dut. lomp.]
Lunar, lū′nar, adj. belonging to the moon: measured by the revolutions of the moon: caused by the moon: like the moon—also Lū′nary.—ns. Lū′nacy, a kind of madness formerly supposed to be affected by the moon: insanity; Lunā′rian, Lū′narist, a student of lunar phenomena; Lū′nary, the moonwort fern.—adjs. Lū′nāte, -d, formed like a half-moon: crescent-shaped; Lū′natic, affected with lunacy.—n. a person so affected: a madman (De lunatico inquirendo, the title of the writ or commission for inquiry into the mental state of an alleged lunatic).—n. Lunā′tion, the time between two revolutions of the moon: a lunar month.—adjs. Lū′niform, moon-shaped; Lū′nisolar, resulting from the united action of the sun and moon: compounded of the revolution of the sun and the moon.—n. Lū′nula, a crescent-like appearance, esp. the whitish area at the base of the nails.—adjs. Lū′nulate, -d (bot.), shaped like a small crescent.—ns. Lū′nule, Lū′nulet, anything in form like a small crescent; Lū′nulite, a small circular fossil coral.—Lunar caustic, fused crystals of nitrate of silver, applied to ulcers, &c.; Lunar cycle=Metonic cycle (q.v.); Lunar month (see Month); Lunar observation, an observation of the moon's distance from a star for the purpose of finding the longitude; Lunar rainbow (see Rainbow, under Rain); Lunar theory, a term employed to denote the a priori deduction of the moon's motions from the principles of gravitation; Lunar year (see Year). [L. lunaris—luna, the moon—lucēre, to shine.]
Lunch, lunsh, n. a slight repast between breakfast and dinner—also Lunch′eon.—v.i. to take lunch.—n. Lunch′eon-bar, a counter at a restaurant where luncheons are served. [Lunch, a contr. of luncheon, itself extended from lunch, a lump.]
Lune, lūn, n. anything in the shape of a half-moon: (Shak.) a fit of lunacy.—n. Lunette′, a little moon: (fort.) a detached bastion: a hole in a concave ceiling to admit light: a watch-glass flattened more than usual in the centre: in the R.C. Church, a moon-shaped case of crystal used for receiving the consecrated host. [Fr. lune—L. luna.]