*lew*

n.; pl. Alewives A woman who keeps an alehouse. Gay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Alewives. [ This word is properly aloof, the Indian name of a fish. See Winthrop on the culture of maize in America, “Phil Trans.” No. 142, p. 1065, and Baddam's “Memoirs, ” vol. ii. p. 131. ] (Zool.) A North American fish (Clupea vernalis) of the Herring family. It is called also ellwife, ellwhop, branch herring. The name is locally applied to other related species. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Angle + wise, OE. wise manner. ] In an angular manner; angularly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A earthworm of the genus Lumbricus, frequently used by anglers for bait. See Earthworm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. wood of any of various apple trees of the genus Malus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

imp. of Blow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an edible agaric (Tricholoma personatum) that is pale lilac when young.
Syn. -- blewits. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. same as blewit.
Syn. -- blewit, Tricholoma personatum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. Same as Buhl, Buhlwork. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A plant of the Mint family and genus Lycopus; esp. Lycopus Virginicus, which has mild narcotic and astringent properties, and is sometimes used as a remedy for hemorrhage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who consumes candles by being up late for study or dissipation. [ 1913 Webster ]

A bookworm, a candlewaster. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. any of several resinous trees or shrubs often burned for light. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Same as Castleguard. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Clewed p. pr. & vb. n. Clewing. ] [ Cf. D. kluwenen. See Clew, n. ] 1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Direct and clew me out the way to happiness. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) To move of draw (a sail or yard) by means of the clew garnets, clew lines, etc.; esp. to draw up the clews of a square sail to the yard. [ 1913 Webster ]

To clew down (Naut.), to force (a yard) down by hauling on the clew lines. --
To clew up (Naut.), to draw (a sail) up to the yard, as for furling. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ OE. clewe, clowe, clue, AS. cleowen, cliwen, clywe ball of thread; akin to D. kluwen, OHG. chliwa, chliuwa, G. dim. kleuel, knäuel, and perch. to L. gluma hull, husk, Skr. glaus sort of ball or tumor. Perch. akin to E. claw. √26. Cf. Knawel. ] 1. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself. [ 1913 Webster ]

Untwisting his deceitful clew. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the solution of a mystery. [ 1913 Webster ]

The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the vast and intricate maze of countinental politics, was in his hands. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) (a.) A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner of a fore-and-aft sail. (b.) A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail. (c.) A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock is suspended. [ 1913 Webster ]

Clew garnet (Naut.), one of the ropes by which the clews of the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the lower yards. --
Clew line (Naut.), a rope by which a clew of one of the smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or royal, is run up to its yard. --
Clew-line block (Naut.), The block through which a clew line reeves. See Illust. of Block. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. cawlwyrt; cawl cole + wyrt wort. Cf. Collards. ] 1. A variety of cabbage in which the leaves never form a compact head. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any white cabbage before the head has become firm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Constable + wick a village ] The district to which a constable's power is limited. [ Obs. ] Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Costly. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Crackle, n., 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. courlieu, corlieu, courlis; perh. of imitative origin, but cf. OF. corlieus courier; L. currere to run + levis light. ] (Zool.) A wading bird of the genus Numenius, remarkable for its long, slender, curved bill. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common European curlew is Numenius arquatus. The long-billed (Numenius longirostris), the Hudsonian (Numenius Hudsonicus), and the Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis, are American species. The name is said to imitate the note of the European species. [ 1913 Webster ]

Curlew Jack (Zool.) the whimbrel or lesser curlew. --
Curlew sandpiper (Zool.), a sandpiper (Tringa ferruginea or Tringa subarquata), common in Europe, rare in America, resembling a curlew in having a long, curved bill. See Illustation in Appendix. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Drink. ] Given to drink; drunken. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Skr. aguru, through Pg. aguila; cf. F. bois d'aigle. ] A kind of fragrant wood. See Agallochum. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Corrupted fr. F. bois-fidèle, lit., faithful wood; -- so called from its durability. ] The wood of several West Indian trees, mostly of the genus Citharexylum. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Fly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having large flews. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. The pendulous or overhanging lateral parts of the upper lip of dogs, especially prominent in hounds; -- called also chaps. See Illust. of Bloodhound. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Gentlewomen [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A woman of good family or of good breeding; a woman above the vulgar. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A woman who attends a lady of high rank. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Glue. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Work after manner of a hurdle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. lee a calm or sheltered place, lukewarm. ] Lukewarm; tepid. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Lewder superl. Lewdest. ] [ OE. lewed, lewd, lay, ignorant, vile, AS. l&aemacr_;wed laical, belonging to the laity. ] 1. Not clerical; laic; laical; hence, unlearned; simple. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

For if a priest be foul, on whom we trust,
No wonder is a lewed man to rust. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

So these great clerks their little wisdom show
To mock the lewd, as learn'd in this as they. Sir. J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Belonging to the lower classes, or the rabble; idle and lawless; bad; vicious. [ Archaic ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

But the Jews, which believed not, . . . took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, . . . and assaulted the house of Jason. Acts xvii. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

Too lewd to work, and ready for any kind of mischief. Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Given to the promiscuous indulgence of lust; dissolute; lustful; libidinous. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Suiting, or proceeding from, lustfulness; involving unlawful sexual desire; as, lewd thoughts, conduct, or language. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Lustful; libidinous; licentious; profligate; dissolute; sensual; unchaste; impure; lascivious; lecherous; rakish; debauched.

-- Lewd"ly, adv. -- Lewd"ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A lewd person. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. 1. An iron dovetailed tenon, made in sections, which can be fitted into a dovetail mortise; -- used in hoisting large stones, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A kind of shears used in cropping woolen cloth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lewis hole, a hole wider at the bottom than at the mouth, into which a lewis is fitted. De Foe.

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A hard marbled wood. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. A large Asiatic tree (Diospyros kurzii) having hard marbled zebrawood.
Syn. -- Andaman marble, Andaman marble, Diospyros kurzii. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) See Moldwarp. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A fern of the genus Hemionitis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Needlewomen A woman who does needlework; a seamstress. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A large bushy shrub (Hakea leucoptera) of central and eastern Australia, with pungent pointed leaves and creamy white flowers.
Syn. -- needle wood, Hakea leucoptera. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. Work executed with a needle; sewed work; sewing; embroidery, crocheting, quilting, or tapestry, etc.; also, the art, process, or occupation of creating objects with needles.
Syn. -- needlecraft. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. The combination of timber and plaster making the outside framework of some houses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A yellow-flowered composite herb (Lampsana communis), formerly used as an external application to the nipples of women; -- called also dock-cress. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Noblewomen A female of noble rank; a peeress. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The light elastic wood of the Aspidosperma excelsum, a tree of Guiana having a fluted trunk readily split into planks. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. (Her.) In the manner of a pale or pales; by perpendicular lines or divisions; as, to divide an escutcheon palewise. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The teredo. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A plant (Ranunculus Ficaria of Linnæus) whose tuberous roots have been used in poultices as a specific for the piles. Forsyth. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Toward a pole of the earth. “The regions further polewards.” Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Polliwig. ] (Zool.) The European spotted goby (Gobius minutus); -- called also pollybait. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. 1. A hem, border., or trimming, as of embroidered work. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Her.) A border of any heraldic fur. [ 1913 Webster ]