LUBRICATOR. The oil or similar material applied to the bearings of machinery to obviate friction. Also, special preparations of the same included in cartridges for rifled fire-arms, to prevent the fouling from the burnt powder adhering to the interior of the bore.
LUCE. The old word for a full-grown pike or jack, immortalized by Shakspeare.
LUCIDA. The bright star or α of each constellation.
LUCKEN. An unsplit haddock half-dry.
LUCKY MINIE'S LINES. The long stems of the sea-plant Chorda filum.
LUCKY-PROACH. A northern term for father-lasher, Cottus scorpius.
LUFF, or Loofe. The order to the helmsman, so as to bring the ship's head up more to windward. Sometimes called springing a luff. Also, the air or wind. Also, an old familiar term for lieutenant. Also, the fullest or roundest part of a ship's bows. Also, the weather-leech of a sail.
LUFF AND LIE. A very old sea-term for hugging the wind closely.
LUFF AND TOUCH HER! Try how near the wind she will come. (See [Touching].)
LUFF INTO A HARBOUR, To. To sail into it, shooting head to wind, gradually. A ship is accordingly said to spring her luff when she yields to the effort of the helm, by sailing nearer to the wind, or coming to, and does not shake the wind out of her sails until, by shortening all, she reaches her anchorage.