Chapter Ludlum to Lupus in Fabula of L by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Lumine Sicco (In). Disinterestedly; as a dry question to be resolved without regard to other matters.

“If physiological considerations have any meaning, it will be always impossible for women to view the subject [of women's suffrage] in lumine sicco.”- The Nineteenth Century (The Hon: Mra. Chapman April, 1886).

Lump If you don't like it, you may lump it. Whether you like to do it or not, no matter; it must be done. Here “lump it” means “to gulp it down,” or swallow unwillingly, to put up with it unwillingly but of necessity. Thus we say of medicine, “lump it down,” i.e. gulp it down. (Danish, gulpen, to swallow.)

Lumpkin (Tony), in She Stoops to Conquer, by Goldsmith. A sheepish, mischievous, idle, cunning lout, “with the vices of a man and the follies of a boy;” fond of low company, but giving himself the airs of the young squire.

Lun So John Rich called himself when he performed harlequin (1681-1761).

“On the one Folly sits, by some called Fun,
And on the other his arch-patron Lun.”
Churchill.

Luna An ancient seaport of Genoa, whence the marble quarried in the neighbourhood is called “marmo lunense.” (Orlando Furioso.)
   Conte di Luna. Garzia, brother of Count Luna, had two sons. One day a gipsy was found in their chamber, and being seized, was condemned to be burnt alive. The daughter of the gipsy, out of revenge, vowed vengeance, and stole Manrico, the infant son of Garzia. It so fell out that the count and Manrico both fell in love with the Princess Leonora, who loved Manrico only. Luna and Manrico both fall into the hands of the count, and are condemned to death, when Leonora promises to “give herself” to Luna, provided he liberates Manrico. The count accepts the terms, and goes to the prison to fulfil his promise, when Leonora dies from poison which she has sucked from a ring. Soon as Manrico sees that Leonora is dead, he also dies. (Verdi: Il Trovatore, an opera.

Lunar Month About four weeks from new moon to new moon.

Lunar Year Twelve lunar months. There are 13 lunar months in a year, 13 × 4 = 52 weeks.

Lunatics Moon-struck persons. The Romans believed that the mind was affected by the moon, and that “lunatics” were more and more frenzied as the moon increased to its full. (See Avertin .)

“The various mental derangements ... which have been attributed to the influence of the moon, have given to this day the name lunatics to persons suffering from serious mental disorders.”- Crazier. Popular Errors. chap iv. p. 53.

Luncheon (Welsh, llonc or llivno, a gulp; llyncu, to swallow at a gulp.) The notion of its derivation from the Spanish once, eleven, is borrowed from the word nuncheon, i.e. nón- mete, a noon repast. Hence Hudibras:

“When, laying by their swords and truncheons,
They took their breakfasts, or their nuncheons.”
Book i. 1. lines 345, 346.

    In Letter Book G, folio iv. (27 Edward II.), donations of drink to workmen are called noncchenche. (Riley: Memorials of London.)

Lungs of London The parks. In a debate, June 30th, 1808, respecting encroachments upon Hyde Park, Mr. Windham said it was the “lungs of London.”

Lunsford A name used in terrorem over children. Sir Thomas Lunsford was governor of the Tower; a man of most vindictive temper, and the dread of everyone.

“Make children with your tones to run for't.
As bad as Bloodybones or Lunsford.”
Bittler: Hudibras, iii. 2.

Lupercal (The), strictly speaking, meant the place where Romulus and Remus were suckled by the wolf (lupus). A yearly festival was held on this spot on Feb. 15, in honour of Lupercus, the god of fertility. On one of these festivals Antony thrice offered to Julius Cæsar a kingly crown, but seeing the people were