n. [ Sp. loco insane. ]
n. A locomotive. [ Colloq. ] Kipling. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]
v. t.
‖adv. [ It. ] (Mus.) A direction in written or printed music to return to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ Sp. loco insane. ] Insane; crazy. [ Originally Southwestern U. S., now slang ] [ PJC ]
. (Veter.) A chronic nervous affection of cattle, horses, and sheep, caused by eating the loco weed and characterized by a slow, measured gait, high step, glassy eyes with defective vision, delirium, and gradual emaciation. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]
n. [ Of uncertain etymol.; perh. for L. loco foci instead of fire; or, according to Bartlett, it was called so from a self-lighting cigar, with a match composition at the end, invented in 1834 by
☞ The name was first applied, in 1834, to a portion of the Democratic party, because, at a meeting in Tammany Hall, New York, in which there was great diversity of sentiment, the chairman left his seat, and the lights were extinguished, for the purpose of dissolving the meeting; when those who were opposed to an adjournment produced locofoco matches, rekindled the lights, continued the meeting, and accomplished their object. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. a disease of livestock caused by locoweed poisoning; characterized by weakness and lack of coordination and trembling and partial paralysis.
v. i. [ by back-formation from locomotion. ] To change location; move, travel, or proceed.
n. [ L. locus place + motio motion: cf. F. locomotion. See Local, and Motion. ]