liberal, licentious, gross. Much Ado, iv. 1. 93; Merch. Ven. ii. 2. 194; Othello, ii. 1. 165. Liberally, licentiously; City Gallant, in Hazlitt’s Dodsley, xi. 194.
libration, oscillation, swaying to and fro; ‘The bounds of thy libration’, Dryden, Conq. of Granada, ii. 3. 1 (Almanzor). L. librare, to balance.
licket. Meaning doubtful; perhaps a flap of some kind; ‘Wear your coif with a London licket’, Eastward Ho, i. 1 (Gertrude). In the west country ‘licket’ is in use for ‘a shred, rag’ (EDD.).
lidderon, a rascal. Skelton, Against Ven. Tongues, 29; Garl. of Laurell, 188. A Sc. prov. word, see Jamieson, Suppl. ME. lyderon or lydron, ‘lydorus’ (Prompt. EETS. 262), (lydorus = Gk. λοίδορος).
lieger, an ordinary or resident Ambassador; ‘A Lieger (differed) from an extraordinary Ambassador’, Fuller, Ch. Hist. iii. 5. 22; Fletcher, Love’s Cure, ii. 2 (Alvarez); a commissioner, an agent, spelt leiger, Meas. for M. iii. 1. 59; Butler, Hud. ii. 3. 140. See [ledger].
lie-pot, a vessel to hold ‘lye’ for use as a hair-wash. Middleton, Five Gallants, i. 1. 12 (or 14).
lifter, a thief, cheat. Tr. and Cr. i. 2. 129; Greene, James IV, iii. 1 (near the end).
lig, ligge, to lie, lie down. Spenser, F. Q. vi. 4. 40; Shep. Kal., May, 217; Oct., 12. In common prov. use in the north country and E. Anglia, see EDD. (s.v. Lie, vb.2 1 (4)). OE. licgean (liggan).
lightly, usually, commonly. Richard III, iii. 1. 91; Massinger, Bondman, iii. 3 (Gracculo); ‘There’s lightning lightly before thunder’, Ray’s English Proverbs (ed. Bohn, 110); given as a Kentish saying (EDD.).
lightmans, a cant term for day. Middleton, Roaring Girl, v. 1 (Song); Harman, Caveat, p. 84. See [darkmans].