L to Labroid
L
(L)
1. L is the twelfth letter of the English alphabet, and a vocal consonant. It is usually called a semivowel
or liquid. Its form and value are from the Greek, through the Latin, the form of the Greek letter being
from the Phœnician, and the ultimate origin prob. Egyptian. Etymologically, it is most closely related to r
and u; as in pilgrim, peregrine, couch (fr. collocare), aubura
At the end of monosyllables containing a single vowel, it is often doubled, as in fall, full, bell; but not
after digraphs, as in foul, fool, prowl, growl, foal. In English words, the terminating syllable le is
unaccented, the e is silent, and l is preceded by a voice glide, as in able, eagle, pronounced a"b'l,
e"g'l. See Guide to Pronunciation, § 241.
2. As a numeral, L stands for fifty in the English, as in the Latin language.
For 50 the Romans used the Chalcidian chi, which assumed the less difficult lapidary type, and was
then easily assimilated to L.
I. Taylor (The Alphabet). L
(L) n.
1. An extension at right angles to the length of a main building, giving to the ground plan a form resembling
the letter L; sometimes less properly applied to a narrower, or lower, extension in the direction of the
length of the main building; a wing. [Written also ell.]
2. (Mech.) A short right-angled pipe fitting, used in connecting two pipes at right angles. [Written also
ell.]
La
(La) n. (Mus.) (a) A syllable applied to the sixth tone of the scale in music in solmization. (b) The
tone A; — so called among the French and Italians.
La
(La) interj. [Cf. Lo.]
1. Look; see; behold; — sometimes followed by you. [Obs.] Shak.
2. An exclamation of surprise; — commonly followed by me; as, La me! [Low]
Laas
(Laas) n. A lace. See Lace. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Lab
(Lab) v. i. [Cf. OD. labben to babble.] To prate; to gossip; to babble; to blab. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Lab
(Lab), n. A telltale; a prater; a blabber. [Obs.] "I am no lab." Chaucer.
Labadist
(Lab"a*dist), n. (Eccl. Hist.) A follower of Jean de Labadie, a religious teacher of the 17th
century, who left the Roman Catholic Church and taught a kind of mysticism, and the obligation of community
of property among Christians.
Labarraque's solution
(La`bar`raque's" so*lu"tion) [From Labarraque, a Parisian apothecary.] (Med.)
An aqueous solution of hypochlorite of sodium, extensively used as a disinfectant.
Labarum
(||Lab"a*rum) n.; pl. Labara [L.] The standard adopted by the Emperor Constantine after his
conversion to Christianity. It is described as a pike bearing a silk banner hanging from a crosspiece, and
surmounted by a golden crown. It bore a monogram of the first two letters (CHR) of the name of Christ
in its Greek form. Later, the name was given to various modifications of this standard.
Labdanum
(Lab"da*num) n. (Bot.) See Ladanum.
