Chapter Lurch to Lyme-hound of L by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Lutherans Dr. Eck was the first to call the followers of Martin Luther by this name. It was used by way of contempt.

Lutin A sort of goblin in the mythology of Normandy, very similar to the house-spirits of Germany and Scandinavia. Sometimes it assumes the form of a horse ready equipped, and in this shape is called Le Cheval Bayard.
   To lutin is to twist hair into elflocks. Sometimes these mischievous urchins so tangle the mane of a horse or head of a child that the hair must be cut off.
   Le Prince Lutin, by the Countess D'Aulnoy.

Luxembergers The people of Luxemberg. Similarly we have Augsburgers, Carlsburgers, Edinburghers, Friburgers, Hamburghers and many more.

Luz or Luez .The indestructible bone; the nucleus of the resurrection body.

“ `How doth a man revive again in the world to come?' asked Hadrian; and Joshua Ben Hananiah made answer. `From luz in the backbone.' He then went on to demonstrate this to him: He took the bone luz, and put it into water, but the water had no action on it; he put it in the fire, but the fire consumed it not; he placed it in a mill, but could not grind it; and laid it on an anvil, but the hammer crushed it not.”- Lightfoot.

“The learnéd rabbins of the Jews
Write there's a bone, which they call luez ...
Butler; Hudibras, iii. 2.

Lybius (Sir). A very young knight who undertook to rescue the lady of Sinadone. After overcoming various knights, giants, and enchanters, he entered the palace of the lady. Presently the whole edifice fell to pieces about his ears, and a horrible serpent coiled round his neck and kissed him. The spell being broken, the serpent turned into the lady of Sinadone, who married the knight that so gallantly rescued her. (Libeaux, a romance.)

Lycaonian Tables [Lycaoniæmensæ]. Execrable food. Lycaon, desirous of testing the divine knowledge of Jove, who had honoured him with a visit, served up human flesh on his table; for which the god changed him into a wolf.

Lycidas The name under which Milton celebrates the untimely death of Edward King, Fellow of Christ College, Cambridge, who was drowned in his passage from Chester to Ireland, August 10th, 1637. He was the son of Sir John King, Secretary for Ireland.

Lycisca (half-wolf, half-dog). One of the dogs of Actæon. In Latin it is a common term for a sheperd's dog, and is so used by Virgil (Eclogue iii. 18). (See Dog .)

Lycopodium Wolf's foot, from a fanciful resemblance thereto.

Lydford Law is, punish first and try afterwards. Lydford, in the county of Devon, was a fortified town, in which was an ancient castle, where were held the courts of the Duchy of Cornwall. Offenders against the stannary laws were confined before trial in a dungeon so loathsome and dreary that it gave rise to the proverb referred to. The castle was destroyed by the Danes. (See Cupar Justice, Cowper Law .)

“I oft have heard of Lydford law,
How in the morn they hang and draw,
And sit in judgment later.”
A Devonshire Poet.

Lydia, daughter of the King of Lydia, was sought in marriage by Alcestes, a Thracian knight; his suit was refused, and he repaired to the King of Armenia, who gave him an army, with which he laid siege to Lydia. He was persuaded by Lydia to raise the siege. The King of Armenia would not give up the project, and Alcestes slew him. Lydia now set him all sorts of dangerous tasks to “prove the ardour of his love,” all of which he surmounted. Lastly, she induced him to kill all his allies, and when she had thus cut off the claws of this love-sick lion she mocked him. Alcestes pined and died, and Lydia was doomed to endless torment in hell, where Astolpho saw her, to whom she told her story. (Orlando Furioso, bk. xvii.)

Lydia Languish in The Rivals, by Sheridan.