A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

leukemia --- 1855, from Ger. Leukämie (1848), coined by R. Virchow from Gk. leukos "clear, white" (cognate with Goth. liuhaþ, O.E. leoht "light;" see light (n.)) + haima "blood" (see -emia).

Levant --- Mediterranean lands east of Italy, 1497, from M.Fr. levant "the Orient," from prp. of lever "to rise" (from L. levare "to raise;" see lever). The region so called in allusion to the direction of sunrise.

levari facias --- 1625, from L., lit. "cause to be levied."

levee --- 1719, "natural or artificial embankment to prevent overflow of a river," from New Orleans Fr. levée "raising, lifting, embankment," from Fr., originally fem. pp. of lever "to raise," from L. levare "to raise" (see lever). In an earlier sense borrowed from the lit. Fr. meaning, it was used for "morning assembly held by a prince or king (upon rising from bed)," 1672.

level (n.) --- 1340, from O.Fr. livel, from L. libella "a balance, level," dim. of libra "balance, scale, unit of weight." The adj. is 1559, from the noun. The verb in the slang sense of "tell the truth" is from 1920. Notion of "balanced" is behind level-headed (1876). The Levellers (1644) were a political party of the time of Charles I that advocated abolishing all differences of position and rank. Cognate Sp. nivel, Mod.Fr. niveau are from the same source but altered by dissimilation.

lever --- 1297, from O.Fr. levier "a lifter, a lever," agent noun from lever "to raise," from L. levare "to raise," from levis "light" in weight, from PIE base *le(n)gwh- "light, easy, agile, nimble" (cf. Skt. laghuh "quick, small;" Gk. elakhys "small," elaphros "light;" O.C.S. liguku, Lith. lengvas "light;" O.Ir. laigiu "smaller, worse;" Goth. leihts, O.E. leoht "light" (adj.)). Leverage "action of a lever" is first recorded 1724; figurative sense is from 1858; financial speculation sense is from 1937.

Levi --- masc. proper name, biblical son of Jacob by Leah, from Heb. lewi, lit. "joining, pledging, attached," from stem of lawah "he joined."

leviathan --- 1382, from L.L. leviathan, from Heb. livyathan "dragon, serpent, huge sea animal," of unknown origin, perhaps related to liwyah "wreath," from base l-w-h- "to wind, turn, twist."

Levis --- 1926, Amer.Eng., originally Levi's, from Levi Strauss and Company, original manufacturer. Strauss' innovation was the copper rivets at strain points. A cowboy's accessory, adopted as a fashion c.1940s.

levitate --- 1673, "to rise by virtue of lightness," from L. levitas "lightness," patterned in Eng. on gravitate. Sense of "raise (a person) into the air" is mainly from spiritualism (1870s).

Leviticus --- third book of the Pentateuch, c.1400, from L.L. Leviticus (liber), lit. "book of the Levites," from Gk. to Leuitikon biblion, properly the part of the Pentateuch dealing with the function of the priests who were of the tribe of Levi (a portion of the tribe acted as assistants to the priests in the temple-worship). The Heb. title is Torath Kohanim, lit. "the law of the priests."

levity --- 1564, from L. levitas (gen. levitatis) "lightness, frivolity," from levis "light" in weight (see lever).

levy (v.) --- 1227, "act of raising or collecting," from Anglo-Fr. leve, from O.Fr. levée "act of raising," noun use of fem. pp. of lever "to raise" (see lever). Originally of taxes, later of men for armies (1500). The noun meaning "an act of levying" is from 1427.

lewd --- O.E. læwede "nonclerical," of uncertain origin but probably ult. from V.L. *laigo-, from L. laicus (see lay (adj.)). Sense of "unlettered, uneducated" (1225) descended to "coarse, vile, lustful" by 1386.

Lewis --- Anglo-Fr. form of Fr. Louis, from Frank. Hludwig "loud-battle," Latinized as Ludovicus (cf. Clovis, Ludwig).

lex talionis --- 1597, from L., "law of retaliation," an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

lexicographer --- 1658, from Fr. lexicographe "lexicographer," from Gk. lexikographos, from lexikon "wordbook" (see lexicon) + -graphos "writer," from graphein "to write."

lexicon --- 1603, "a dictionary," from Mod.L., from Gk. lexikon (biblion) "word (book)," from neut. of lexikos "pertaining to words," from lexis "word," from legein "say" (see lecture). Used originally of dictionaries of Gk., Syriac, Hebrew and Arabic, since these usually were in Latin and in Mod.L. lexicon, not dictionarius, was the preferred word. The modern sense of "vocabulary proper to some sphere of activity" (1647) is a fig. extension.

Leyden jar --- 1755, phial used for accumulating and storing static electricity, from Leyden (modern Leiden), city in Holland; so called because it was first described 1746 by physicist Pieter van Musschenbroek of Leyden (1692-1761).

Lhasa apso --- type of dog, 1935, from Tibetan, lit. "Lhasa terrier," from Lhasa, capital of Tibet.

liable --- 1542, "bound or obliged by law," from Anglo-Fr. *liable, from O.Fr. lier "to bind," from L. ligare "to bind, to tie" (see ligament). General sense of "exposed to" (something undesirable) is from 1593. Incorrect use for "likely" is attested from 1886. Liability "condition of being liable" is from 1794; meaning "thing for which one is liable" is first attested 1842.

liaison (adj.) --- 1648, from Fr. liaison "a union, a binding together," from L.L. ligationem (nom. ligatio) "a binding," from L. ligatus, pp. of ligare "to bind" (see ligament). Originally a cookery term for a thickening agent for sauces. Sense of "intimate relations" is from 1806. Military sense of "cooperation between branches, allies, etc." is from 1816. Back-formed verb liaise is attested from 1928. The noun meaning "one who is concerned with liaison of units, etc." is short for liaison officer.

liar --- O.E. leogere; agent noun from Anglian legan, W.Saxon leogan "be untruthful, lie" (see lie (v.1)).

lib --- 1969, Amer.Eng., shortening of liberation, used with possessives, originally in Women's Lib. Colloquial shortening libber for liberationist is attested from 1971.

libation --- 1382, "pouring out of wine in honor of a god," from L. libationem (nom. libatio) "a drink offering," from libare "pour out (an offering)," from PIE *(s)leib- "to pour, drop" (cf. Gk. leibein "to pour, make a libation"), an enlargement of base *lei- "to pour, to flow" (cf. Skt. riyati "to let run;" Gk. aleison "a wine vessel;" Lith. lieju "to pour," lytus "rain;" Hitt. lilai- "to let go;" Alb. lyse, lise "a stream;" Welsh lliant "a stream, a sea," llifo "to flow;" O.Ir. lie "a flood;" Bret. livad "inundation;" Gael. lighe "a flood, overflow;" Goth. leithu "fruit wine;" O.C.S. liti, lêju, Bulg. leja "I pour;" Czech liti, leji, O.Pol. lic' "to pour"). Transf. sense of "liquid poured out to be drunk" is from 1751.

libel --- 1297, "formal written statement," especially, in civil law, "plaintiff's statement of charges" (1340); from O.Fr. libelle (fem.), from L. libellus "a little book, petition," dim. of liber "book." Broader sense of "any published or written statement likely to harm a person's reputation" is first attested 1631. The verb is 1570, from the noun.

liberal (adj.) --- c.1375, from O.Fr. liberal "befitting free men, noble, generous," from L. liberalis "noble, generous," lit. "pertaining to a free man," from liber "free," from PIE base *leudheros (cf. Gk. eleutheros "free"), probably originally "belonging to the people" (though the precise semantic development is obscure), from *leudho- "people" (cf. O.C.S. ljudu, Lith. liaudis, O.E. leod, Ger. Leute "nation, people"). Earliest reference in Eng. is to the liberal arts (L. artes liberales; see art (n.)), the seven attainments directed to intellectual enlargement, not immediate practical purpose, and thus deemed worthy of a free man (the word in this sense was opposed to servile or mechanical). Sense of "free in bestowing" is from 1387. With a meaning "free from restraint in speech or action" (1490) liberal was used 16c.-17c. as a term of reproach. It revived in a positive sense in the Enlightenment, with a meaning "free from prejudice, tolerant," which emerged 1776-88. Purely in ref. to political opinion, "tending in favor of freedom and democracy" it dates from c.1801, from Fr. libéral, originally applied in Eng. by its opponents (often in Fr. form and with suggestions of foreign lawlessness) to the party favorable to individual political freedoms. But also (especially in U.S. politics) tending to mean "favorable to government action to effect social change," which seems at times to draw more from the religious sense of "free from prejudice in favor of traditional opinions and established institutions" (and thus open to new ideas and plans of reform), which dates from 1823.

liberate --- 1623, from L. liberatus, pp. of liberare "set free," from liber "free" (see liberal). Meaning "to free an occupied territory from the enemy" (often used ironically) is from 1944. Liberation is c.1440; liberation theology (1969) translates Sp. teologia de la liberación, coined 1968 by Peruvian priest Gustavo Gutiérrez.

libertarian --- 1789, "one who holds the doctrine of free will" (opposed to necessitarian), from liberty (q.v.) on model of unitarian, etc. Political sense of "person advocating liberty in thought and conduct" is from 1878. U.S. Libertarian Party founded in Colorado, 1971.

libertine --- 1382, "an emancipated slave," from L. libertinus "member of a class of freedmen," from libertus "one's freedmen," from liber "free" (see liberal). Sense of "freethinker" is first recorded 1563, from Fr. libertin (1542) originally the name given to certain Protestant sects in France and the Low Countries. Meaning "dissolute or licentious person" first recorded 1593; the darkening of meaning being perhaps due to misunderstanding of L. libertinus in Acts vi.9.

liberty --- c.1375, from O.Fr. liberté "freedom," from L. libertatem (nom. libertas) "freedom, condition of a freeman," from liber "free" (see liberal)

libidinous --- lustful, 1447, from L. libidinosus "full of desire, lustful," from libido (see libido).

libido --- psychic drive or energy, usually associated with sexual instinct, 1892, carried over untranslated in Eng. edition of Krafft-Ebing's "Psychopathia Sexualis"; 1909 in A.A. Brill's translation of Freud's "Selected Papers on Hysteria" (Freud's use of the term led to its popularity); from L. libido "desire, lust," from libere "to be pleasing, to please," ultimately cognate with O.E. lufu (see love).

Libra --- zodiac constellation, 1398, from L. libra, lit. "pound, balance," from Mediterranean base *lithra- "a scale."

library --- c.1374, from Anglo-Fr. librarie, from O.Fr. librairie "collection of books," noun use of adj. librarius "concerning books," from L. librarium "chest for books," from liber (gen. libri) "book, paper, parchment," originally "the inner bark of trees," probably a derivative of PIE base *leub(h)- "to strip, to peel" (see leaf). The equivalent word in most Romance languages now means "bookseller's shop." Librarian is from 1713; earlier form was library-keeper (1647).

libretto --- (pl. libretti), 1742, from It. libretto, dim. of libro "book," from L. liber (gen. libri), see library.

licence --- 1362, "liberty (to do something), leave," from O.Fr. licence, from L. licentia "freedom, liberty, license," from licentem (nom. licens). prp. of licere "to be allowed, be lawful," from PIE base *leik- "to offer, bargain." Meaning "formal (usually written) permission from authority to do something" (marry, hunt, drive, etc.) is first attested 1433. Meaning "excessive liberty, disregard of propriety" is from c.1450. The verb is first attested 1398. Licence is preferred for the noun, license for the verb, on model of advice/advise, etc.

licentious --- morally unrestrained, 1535, from M.L. licentiosus "full of license, unrestrained," from L. licentia (see license).

lichen --- 1601, from L. lichen, from Gk. leichen, originally "what eats around itself," probably from leichein "to lick" (see lick). Originally used of liverwort; the modern sense first recorded 1715.

Lichfield --- Licitfelda (c.710) "Open Land near Letocetum" (Celtic place name meaning "grey wood") + O.E. feld.

licit --- 1483, from L. licitus "lawful," prp. of licere "be allowed, be lawful."

lick (n.) --- an act of licking, 1603, from lick (v.). Meaning "small portion" is 1814, originally Scottish; hence U.S. colloquial sense. Sense of "place where an animal goes to lick salt" is from 1747. Lickety-split is 1859 in Amer.Eng. (earlier lickety-cut, lickety-click, and simply licketie, 1817) from dial. meaning of lick "very fast sprint in a race" (1809). The jazz music sense of "short figure or solo" is from 1920s.

lick (v.) --- O.E. liccian "to lick," from P.Gmc. *likkon (cf. Du. likken, Ger. lecken, Goth. bi-laigon), from PIE imitative base *leigh- (cf. Skt. ledhi "he licks," Arm. lizum "I lick," Gk. leikhein "to lick," L. lingere "to lick," O.Ir. ligim "I lick," Welsh llwy "spoon"). Fr. lecher is a Gmc. loan word. Sense of "a blow, stroke" first recorded 1678 from verb sense of "to beat," first attested 1535, which may be from its use in the Coverdale bible that year in sense of "defeat, annihilate" (an enemy's forces) in Num. xxii.4:

lickerish --- fond of delicious fare, 1500, from M.E. likerous "pleasing to the palate" (c.1275), from Anglo-Fr. *likerous, from O.Fr. licherous (see lecherous). Unlike the Fr. word, it generally kept close to its literal sense.

licorice --- c.1205, from Anglo-Fr. lycoryc, from O.Fr. licorece, from L.L. liquiritia, alteration of L. glychyrrhiza, from Gk. glykyrrhiza, lit. "sweet root," from glykys "sweet" (see glucose) + rhiza "root;" form influenced in L. by liquere "become fluid," associated by the method of extracting the sweet stuff from the root. Fr. réglisse, It. regolizia are the same word, with metathesis of -l- and -r-.

lid --- O.E. hlid "lid, cover, opening, gate," from P.Gmc. *khlithan (cf. O.N. hlið "gate, gap," Swed. lid "gate," Du. lid, O.H.G. hlit "lid, cover"), from PIE base *kli- "cover, shut," or *klei- "to lean" (see lean (v.)), with here perhaps the sense of "that which bends over." Meaning "eyelid" is from c.1220. Slang sense of "hat, cap" is attested from 1896. Slang phrase put a lid on "clamp down on, silence, end" is from 1909.

Lido --- famous resort island off Venice, from It., from L. litus "shore."

lie (n.) --- an untruth, O.E. lyge, from P.Gmc. *lugin (cf. O.N. lygi, Dan. løgn, O.Fris. leyne, Ger. Lüge, Goth. liugn). To give the lie to "accuse directly of lying" is attested from 1593. Lie-detector first recorded 1909.

lie (v.1) --- speak falsely, O.E. legan, ligan, earlier leogan (class II strong verb; past tense leag, pp. logen), from P.Gmc. *leugan (cf. O.N. ljuga, Dan. lyve, O.Fris. liaga, Ger. lügen, Goth. liugan), from PIE base *leugh- "to tell a lie."

lie (v.2) --- rest horizontally, O.E. licgan (class V strong verb; past tense læg, pp. legen), from P.Gmc. *legjanan (cf. O.N. liggja, O.Fris. lidzia, M.Du. ligghen, Ger. liegen, Goth. ligan), from PIE *legh- (cf. Hittite laggari "falls, lies," Gk. lekhesthai "to lie down," L. lectus "bed," O.C.S. lego "to lie down," Lith. at-lagai "fallow land," O.Ir. laigim "I lie down," Ir. luighe "couch, grave"). To lie with "have sexual intercourse" is from c.1300.

Liebfraumilch --- Ger. white wine, 1833, from Ger., lit. "milk of Our Lady."

lied --- 1852, from Ger., lit. "song," from M.H.G. liet, from O.H.G. liod, from P.Gmc. *leuthan (see laud).

lief --- O.E. leof "dear," from P.Gmc. *leubo- (cf. O.N. ljutr, O.Fris. liaf, O.H.G. liob, Ger. lieb, Goth. liufs "dear, beloved"), from PIE base *leubh- "love" (see love). A most useful word, now, alas, all but extinct. Want and love are overworked and misused to fill the hole left in the language when this word faded in 17c.

liege --- word used by a vassal to address his superior or lord in the feudal system, 1297, from Anglo-Fr. lige (1292), from O.Fr. liege, perhaps from L.L. laeticus "cultivated by serfs," from laetus "serf," which probably is from a Gmc. source (cf. O.E. læt "half-freedman, serf;" O.H.G. laz, O.Fris. lethar "freedman"). Or the M.E. word may be directly from O.H.G. leidig "free." Hence, liege-man "a vassal sworn to the service and support of a lord, who in turn is obliged to protect him" (c.1350).

lien --- right to hold property of another until debt is paid, 1531, from M.Fr. lien, from L. ligamen "bond," from ligare "to bind, tie" (see ligament).

lieu --- c.1290, from O.Fr. lieu "place," from O.Fr. leu, from L. locum (nom. locus) "place."

lieutenant --- c.1375, "one who takes the place of another," from O.Fr. lieu tenant "substitute," lit. "placeholder," from lieu "place" + tenant, prp. of tenir "to hold." The notion is of a "substitute" for higher authority. Specific military sense of "officer next in rank to a captain" is from 1578. Pronunciation with lef- is common in Britain, and spellings to reflect it date back to 14c., but the origin of it is mysterious.

life --- O.E. life (dat. lif), from P.Gmc. *liba- (cf. O.N. lif "life, body," Du. lijf "body," O.H.G. lib "life," Ger. Leib "body"), properly "continuance, perseverance," from PIE *lip- "to remain, persevere, continue, live" (see leave). Much of the modern range of meaning was present in O.E. Extended 1703 to "term of duration (of inanimate objects)." Lifestyle is from 1929, originally a specific term used by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler (1870-1937); broader sense is from 1961. Life-line is from 1700; fig. sense first attested 1860. Life-and-death "vitally important" is from 1822. Life of Riley is from 1919, perhaps from 1880s song about a man named O'Reilly and how he got rich and lived at ease. Lifer "prisoner serving a life sentence" is slang from 1830.

lifeguard --- 1648, "bodyguard of soldiers," from Ger. leibgarde. Sense of "person paid to watch over bathers" is from 1896.

lift (v.) --- c.1200, from O.N. lypta "to raise," from P.Gmc. *luftijan (cf. M.L.G. lüchten, Du. lichten, Ger. lüften "to lift;" O.E. lyft "heaven, air," see loft). The meaning "steal" (as in shop-lift) is first recorded 1526.Noun meaning "cheering influence" is from 1861; sense of "elevator" first recorded 1851. Meaning "help given to a pedestrian by taking him into a vehicle" is from 1712. Liftoff "vertical take-off of a rocket, etc." is 1956 in Amer.Eng.

ligament --- c.1400, from L. ligamentum "band, tie, ligature," from ligare "to bind, tie," from PIE *leig- "to bind" (cf. Alb. lith "I bind," M.L.G. lik "band," M.H.G. geleich "joint, limb").

ligature --- c.1400, "something used in tying or binding," from O.Fr. ligature, from L.L. ligatura "a band," from L. ligatus, pp. of ligare "to bind" (see ligament).

light (adj.) --- not heavy, from O.E. leoht, from P.Gmc. *lingkhtaz (cf. O.N. lettr, Swed. lätt, O.Fris., M.Du. licht, Ger. leicht, Goth. leihts), from PIE base *le(n)gwh- "light, easy, agile, nimble" (cf. L. levis "light;" see lever). The notion in make light of (1526) is of "unimportance." Alternate spelling lite, preferred by advertisers, is first recorded 1962. Light-fingered "thievish" is from 1547; light-headed "dizzy" is from 1537; light-hearted "cheerful" is from c.1400. Light-weight is 1773 in pugilism and horse-racing; figurative sense of "inconsequential" first attested 1809. Light-skirts "woman of easy virtue" is attested from 1597.

light (n.) --- brightness, O.E. leht, earlier leoht, from W.Gmc. *leukhtam (cf. O.Fris. liacht, M.Du. lucht, Ger. Licht), from PIE *leuk- "light, brightness" (cf. Skt. rocate "shines;" Arm. lois "light," lusin "moon;" Gk. leukos "bright, shining, white;" L. lucere "to shine," lux "light," lucidus "clear;" O.C.S. luci "light;" Lith. laukas "pale;" Welsh llug "gleam, glimmer;" O.Ir. loche "lightning," luchair "brightness;" Hittite lukezi "is bright"). The -gh- was an Anglo-Fr. scribal attempt to render the O.E. hard -h- sound, which has since disappeared. The fig. spiritual sense was in O.E.; the sense of "mental illumination" is first recorded c.1449. Meaning "something used for igniting" is from 1684. Lighthouse is from 1622; light bulb is from 1884. The verb is from O.E. lyhtan (cf. O.S. liohtian, Ger. leuchten, Goth. liuhtjan).

light (v.) --- touch down, from O.E. lihtan "to alight," from P.Gmc. *linkhtijan, lit. "to make light," from *lingkhtaz "not heavy." Apparently the ground sense is "to dismount a horse, etc., and thus relieve it of one's weight." To light out "leave hastily" is 1870, from a nautical meaning "move out, move heavy objects," of unknown origin but perhaps belonging to this word.

lighter --- barge, 1487, from light (adj.), with a sense of lightening a load. They are used in loading or unloading ships that cannot approach a wharf.

lightning --- c.1280, prp. of lightnen "make bright," extended form of O.E. lihting, from leht (see light (n.)). Meaning "cheap, raw whiskey" is attested from 1781. Lightning bug is attested from 1778.

lights --- the lungs, c.1200, lit. "the light (in weight) organs," from light (adj.) (see lung). Obsolete now except in phrases like to knock (someone's) lights out.

lignite --- imperfectly formed coal, 1808, from Fr., from L. lignum "wood." Brown coal that still shows traces of the wood it once was. Probably directly from Lithanthrax Lignius, name given to woody coal by Wallerius, 1775.

like (adj.) --- having the same characteristics or qualities (as another), M.E. shortening of O.E. gelic "like, similar," from P.Gmc. *galikaz "having the same form," lit. "with a corresponding body" (cf. O.S. gilik, O.N. glikr, Du. gelijk, Ger. gleich, Goth. galeiks "equally, like"), a compound of *ga- "with, together" + *likan "body" (cf. O.E. lic "body," Ger. Leiche "corpse," Dan. lig, Swed. lik, Du. lijk "body, corpse"). Analogous, etymologically, to L. conform. The modern form (rather than *lich) may be from a northern descendant of the O.E. word's O.N. cognate, likr. Formerly with comp. liker and superl. likest (still in use 17c.). The prep. (c.1200) and the adv. (c.1300) are both from the adjective. As a conjunction, first attested c.1530. Plural likes (n.) "predilections, preferences" is from 1851; earlier used in sing. in this sense (1425). The word has been used as a postponed filler ("going really fast, like") from 1778; as a presumed emphatic ("going, like, really fast") from 1950, originally in counterculture slang and bop talk. Phrase more like it "closer to what is desired" is from 1888.

like (v.) --- O.E. lician "to please," from P.Gmc. *likojanan (cf. O.N. lika, O.Fris. likia, O.H.G. lihhen, Goth. leikan "to please"), from *liko- "body," originally "appearance, form." The basic meaning seems to be "to be like" (see like (adj.)), thus, "to be suitable." Like (and dislike) originally flowed the other way: It likes me, where we would say I like it. The modern version began to appear late 14c.

likely --- c.1300, perhaps from O.N. likligr "likely," from likr "like" (adj.). O.E. had cognate geliclic. Meaning "having the appearance of being strong and capable" is from 1454, though now mostly confined to Amer.Eng. Sense of "good-looking" is from 1470. Meaning "probably" is attested from c.1380, now principally in Amer.Eng.

liken --- c.1280, "to represent as like," from like (adj.).

likeness --- O.E. (Northumbrian) licnes, shortened from gelicness (see like (adj.)).

likewise --- 1489, from the phrase in like wise "in the same manner" (1449), from like (adj.).

Likud --- nationalist coalition party formed in Israel 1973, from Heb., lit. "union, combination."

lilac --- 1625, from Fr. lilac "shrub of genus Syringa with mauve flowers," from Sp. lilac, from Arabic lilak, from Pers. lilak, variant of nilak "bluish," from nil "indigo" (cf. Skt. nilah "dark blue"), of unknown origin. As a color name, attested from 1791; as a scent, from 1895.

Lilith --- female evil spirit, in medieval Heb. folklore the first wife of Adam, from Heb. Lilith, from Akkad. Lilitu, which is connected by folk etymology with Heb. laylah "night."

Lilliputian --- diminutive, tiny, lit. "pertaining to Lilliput, the fabulous island whose inhabitants were six inches high, coined by Swift in "Gulliver's Travels" (1726).