*lustr*

n. [ F. balustrade, It. balaustrata fr. balaustro. See Baluster. ] (Arch.) A row of balusters topped by a rail, serving as an open parapet, as along the edge of a balcony, terrace, bridge, or the eaves of a building, or as a guard railing on a staircase; -- it serves as a guard to prevent people from falling.
Syn. -- bannister, banister, balusters, handrail, guard rail. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Blusterous. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Fluster, v. t. ] To fluster. [ Colloq. ] Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of flustrating; confusion; flurry. [ Colloq. ] Richardson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of illustration. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Illustrated p. pr. & vb. n. Illustrating ] [ L. illustratus, p. p. of illustrare to illustrate, fr. illustris bright. See Illustrious. ] 1. To make clear, bright, or luminous. [ 1913 Webster ]

Here, when the moon illustrates all the sky. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To set in a clear light; to exhibit distinctly or conspicuously. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To prove him, and illustrate his high worth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To make clear, intelligible, or apprehensible; to elucidate, explain, or exemplify, as by means of figures, comparisons, and examples. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To adorn with pictures, as a book or a subject; to elucidate with pictures, as a history or a romance. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To give renown or honor to; to make illustrious; to glorify. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Matter to me of glory, whom their hate
Illustrates. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. illustratus, p. p. ] Illustrated; distinguished; illustrious. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This most gallant, illustrate, and learned gentleman. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. provided with pictures; -- of a publication; as, an illustrated weekly. Opposite of unillustrated. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. illustratio: cf. F. illustration. ] 1. The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct; education; also, the state of being illustrated, or of being made clear and distinct. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which illustrates; a comparison or example intended to make clear or apprehensible, or to remove obscurity. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A picture designed to decorate a volume or elucidate a literary work. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Tending or designed to illustrate, exemplify, or elucidate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Making illustrious. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By way of illustration or elucidation. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] One who illustrates. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Serving to illustrate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. illustris, prob. for illuxtris; fr. il- in + the root of lucidus bright: cf. F. illustre. See Lucid. ] 1. Possessing luster or brightness; brilliant; luminous; splendid. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quench the light; thine eyes are guides illustrious. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Characterized by greatness, nobleness, etc.; eminent; conspicuous; distinguished. [ 1913 Webster ]

Illustrious earls, renowened everywhere. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Conferring luster or honor; renowned; as, illustrious deeds or titles.

Syn. -- Distinguished; famous; remarkable; brilliant; conspicuous; noted; celebrated; signal; renowened; eminent; exalted; noble; glorious. See Distinguished, Famous. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a illustrious manner; conspicuously; eminently; famously. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being eminent; greatness; grandeur; glory; fame. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. il- not + lustrous. ] Without luster. [ Obs. & R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. A lack of luster. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. 1. Wanting luster or brightness. “Lackluster eye.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Lacking spirit, liveliness, or enthusiasm; dull. [ PJC ]

3. Mediocre; as, a lackluster performance. [ PJC ]

a. [ L. lustralis, fr. lustrum: cf. F. lustral. See Lustrum. ] 1. Of or pertaining to, or used for, purification; as, lustral days; lustral water. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to a lustrum. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Lustrated p. pr. & vb. n. Lustrating ] [ L. lustratus, p. p. of lustrare to lustrate, fr. lustrum. See Lustrum. ] To make clear or pure by means of a propitiatory offering; to purify. [ 1913 Webster ]

We must purge, and cleanse, and lustrate the whole city. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lustratio: cf. F. lustration. ] 1. The act of lustrating or purifying. [ 1913 Webster ]

And holy water for lustration bring. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Antiq.) A sacrifice, or ceremony, by which cities, fields, armies, or people, defiled by crimes, pestilence, or other cause of uncleanness, were purified. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lustrum: cf. F. lustre. ] A period of five years; a lustrum. [ 1913 Webster ]

Both of us have closed the tenth luster. Bolingbroke. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ F. lustre; cf. It. lustro; both fr. L. lustrare to purify, go about (like the priests at the lustral sacrifice), traverse, survey, illuminate, fr. lustrum a purificatory sacrifice; perh. akin to E. loose. But lustrare to illuminate is perhaps a different word, and akin to L. lucere to be light or clear, to shine. See Lucid, and cf. Illustrious, Lustrum. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Brilliancy; splendor; brightness; glitter. [ 1913 Webster ]

The right mark and very true luster of the diamond. Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

The scorching sun was mounted high,
In all its luster, to the noonday sky. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ There is a tendency to limit the use of luster, in this sense, to the brightness of things which do not shine with their own light, or at least do not blaze or glow with heat. One speaks of the luster of a diamond, or of silk, or even of the stars, but not often now of the luster of the sun, a coal of fire, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Renown; splendor; distinction; glory. [ 1913 Webster ]

His ancestors continued about four hundred years, rather without obscurity than with any great luster. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A candlestick, chandelier, girandole, or the like, generally of an ornamental character. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Min.) The appearance of the surface of a mineral as affected by, or dependent upon, peculiarities of its reflecting qualities. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The principal kinds of luster recognized are: metallic, adamantine, vitreous, resinous, greasy, pearly, and silky. With respect to intensity, luster is characterized as splendent, shining, glistening, glimmering, and dull. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A substance which imparts luster to a surface, as graphite and some of the glazes. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A fabric of wool and cotton with a lustrous surface, -- used for women's dresses. [ 1913 Webster ]

Luster ware, earthenware decorated by applying to the glazing metallic oxides, which acquire brilliancy in the process of baking. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Lustred p. pr. & vb. n. Lustering, or Lustring. ] To make lustrous. [ R. & Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Flooded and lustered with her loosened gold. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Luster. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. Destitute of luster; dim; dull. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. lustricus, fr. lustrum. See Lustrum. ] Pertaining to, or used for, purification. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. lustrine, It. lustrino, fr. lustrare to polish, L. lustrare. See 3d Luster, and cf. Lutestring. ] A kind of glossy silk fabric. See Lutestring. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. lustreux. See 3d Luster. ] Bright; shining; luminous. “ Good sparks and lustrous.” Shak. -- Lus"trous*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n.; pl. E. Lustrums L. Lustra [ L. Cf. 2d & 3d Luster. ] A lustration or purification, especially the purification of the whole Roman people, which was made by the censors once in five years. Hence: A period of five years. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } v. t. To excel in brightness or luster. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. paluster, -ustris. ] Of or pertaining to a bog or marsh; boggy. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of, pertaining to, or living in, a marsh or swamp; marshy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. perlustrare to wander all through, to survey. See 3d Luster. ] The act of viewing all over. [ Archaic ] Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]