lewdness (ew as u or u)

[Eng. lewd; -ne .] *1. Want of learning; ignorance, illiteracy, simplicity. "Thinges that ben made more subtlely Than they can in their lewedne e comprehend." Chaucer: C. Т. , 10,537. *2. Vice, without particularizing its nature; profligacy. 3. Wantonne , lasciviousne , unchastity, lechery, sensuality. "That all women may be taught not to do after your lewdne ." - Ezekiel xxiii. 48. *lewds-by (ewasū or û), s. [LEWD.] A lewd or lecherous person, a profligate, a debaucher. *lewd-ster (ew asū or û), s. [Eng. lewd ; suff. -ster.] A lewd person, a lecher, a libertine, a profii gate. "Against such lewdsters and their lechery, Those that betray them do no treachery." Shakesp.: Merry Wives of Windsor , v. 3. lew-is, lew-is-son (ew as û), s. (See def.) 1. Mech .: A contrivance for lifting stones which was used by the ancient Romans, and the peculiar mortise marks are found in the stones of the Flavian amphitheater. It received its name from a French man who brought it to its present form. He was an architect on the works of Louis XIV., and gave it the name it bears in compliment to his master. It consists of two dovetail tenons, which are expanded by a key in a dovetail mortise in the stone, and shackled to the hoisting-chain. The dovetail pieces are first inserted, and then forced apart by the middle key, so as to occupy the undercut portion of the mortise. All three are then shackled to the lifting-chain. Lewis. 2. Cloth .: A kind of shears used in cropping woolen cloth.