Laborer un rampart, signifies to bring several pieces of ordnance discharged from two oblique directions to bear upon one centre. Shells and hollow balls are generally used on these occasions, and the chief design is to second the operations of the miner in some particular part from whence the explosion is to take place.
Laborer likewise applies to the working of a bomb or shell, which excavates, ploughs up, and scatters the earth about wherever it bursts.
LACAY or LAQUET, Fr. An old French militia was formerly so called. The name is found among the public documents which were kept by the treasurers belonging to the dukes of Britanny, in the fifteenth century.
LACE, the uniform of regiments is distinguishable often by the lace and button.
LACERNA, Fr. a garment which was worn by the ancients. It was made of woollen stuff, and was only worn by men; originally indeed by those alone that were of a military profession. It was usually thrown over the toga, and sometimes indeed over the tunica. It may not improperly be considered as the surtout or great coat of the ancients, with this difference, that there was a winter lacernum and a summer one.
The lacerna was adopted by the Romans towards the close of their republic. Even as late down as the days of Cicero it was unknown amongst them, or if known, censured as a mark of disgraceful effeminacy. During the civil wars that occurred in the triumvirate of Augustus, Lepidus, and Antony, the lacerna became familiar to the people, and by degrees was adopted as common apparel, by the senators and knights of Rome, until the reigns of Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius, who enjoined the senators not to wear it.
The lacerna is the same as the chlamys and the burrbus.
Un LACHE, Fr. A familiar phrase among the french to signify a coward, &c.
LACHER, Fr. to go off. Son pistolet, ou son fusil, vint à lâcher; his pistol, or his musquet, went off of itself.
Lacher pied, Fr. to run away.