Lime (?), n. [See Leam a string.]
A thong by which a dog is led; a leash.
Halliwell.
© Webster 1913.
Lime, n. [Formerly line, for earlier lind. See Linden.] Bot.
The linden tree. See Linden.
© Webster 1913.
Lime, n. [F. lime; of Persian origin. See Lemon.] Bot.
A fruit allied to the lemon, but much smaller; also, the tree which bears it. There are two kinds; Citrus Medica, var. acida which is intensely sour, and the sweet lime (C. Medica, var. Limetta) which is only slightly sour.
© Webster 1913.
Lime, n. [AS. lim; akin to D. lijm, G. leim, OHG. lim, L. limus mud, linere to smear, and E. loam. . Cf. Loam, Liniment.]
1.
Birdlime.
Like the lime
That foolish birds are caught with.
Wordsworth.
2. Chem.
Oxide of calcium; the white or gray, caustic substance, usually called quicklime, obtained by calcining limestone or shells, the heat driving off carbon dioxide and leaving lime. It develops great heat when treated with water, forming slacked lime, <-- ##sic, and thus intended (see slack, v.t.), but now it should be "slaked lime" -->and is an essential ingredient of cement, plastering, mortar, etc.
<-- CaO -->
⇒ Lime is the principal constituent of limestone, marble, chalk, bones, shells, etc.
Caustic lime, calcium hydrate or slacked lime; also, in a less technical sense, calcium oxide or quicklime.<-- Calcium hydroxide = slaked lime --> -- Lime burner, one who burns limestone, shells, etc., to make lime. -- Lime light. See Calcium light under Calcium.<-- as one word, limelight means the center of public attention, esp. in the phrase "in the limelight" --> -- Lime pit, a limestone quarry. -- Lime rod, Lime twig, a twig smeared with birdlime; hence, that which catches; a snare. Chaucer.
© Webster 1913.
Lime, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Limed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Liming.] [Cf. AS. geliman to glue or join together. See Lime a viscous substance.]
1.
To smear with a viscous substance, as birdlime.
These twigs, in time, will come to be limed.
L'Estrange.
2.
To entangle; to insnare.
We had limed ourselves
With open eyes, and we must take the chance.
Tennyson.
3.
To treat with lime, or oxide or hydrate of calcium; to manure with lime; as, to lime hides for removing the hair; to lime sails in order to whiten them.
Land may be improved by draining, marling, and liming.
Sir J. Child.
4.
To cement.
"Who gave his blood to
lime the stones together."
Shak.
<-- Lime, lime-colored. adj. having a yellowish-green color like that of the lime. -- n. the lime color. -->
© Webster 1913.