lens

[Lat.=a lentil; so called from the resemblance in shape to the seed of a lentil, which is like a double-convex lens.) A piece of a transparent substance, usually gla , so shaped as to afford two regular opposite surfaces, both curved, or one curved and the other plane, changing the direction of rays of light, and diminishing or increasing the apparent size of objects viewed through it. Combinations of lenses increase this effect. The curved surfaces are usually spherical, and the ordinary lenses of this description are of six varieties. They are: Plano-concave, double concave, plano-convex, double convex, meniscus, and concavo-convex. (See these words.) There are many lenses peculiar from their pro portions, construction, arrangement, or specific effects; these will be found under their distinguishing names. Crystalline lens : [CRYSTALLINE, lens-shaped, a. (3).] Bot.: Resembling a double convex lens, as the seeds of Amaranth us. lent, pret. & pa. par. of v. [LEND.] *lent, a . & adv . [Lat. lent us =slow, gentle.] A. As adj .: Slow, gentle, mild. B. As adverb: Music: The same as LENTO (q. v.). Lent, *Lente, s. [ A.S.lencten =the spring; cogn. with Dut. lente ; Ger. lenz ; O. H. Ger. lenzin , leng izen ; probably from A. S., Ger. & Dut. lang = long, because in spring the days lengthen.] Church History: 1. Roman Church : A fast-formerly of varying duration, but now of forty days-observed as a preparation for the Easter festival. The severity of the Lenten fast is now much modified, and the extent (both as to time and quantity) to which lactic in i a may be used is made known by the Lenten indults published by the bishops, and read in all the churches of the diocese at the parochial ma . 2. Greek Church : The Greek Lent lasts for seven weeks thirty-five days, for on all Saturdays (except Holy Saturday), on the Feast of the Annunciation, and on all Sun days, the law of fasting is not in force. Strict abstinence from flesh-meat and lactic in i a begins on the Monday in Quinquagesima week. 3. Anglican Church : In the "Table of Days of Fasting and Abstinence," the Forty Days of Lent stand first; but from the Reformation till about the middle of this century the practice of fasting gradually fell into desuetude. With the Oxford movement came an endeavor to restore ancient practices and discipline; and the influence of the High Church clergy has been productive of a stricter observance of this penitential season throughout the Church, and of practice, with regard to fasting, more in accordance with the Homily "Of Good Works" than had prevailed for a long time previously. Lent-lily, s . Bot.: The Daffodil ( Narci us pseudo narci us ).