lamp, #lampe

[Fr. lampe, from Lat. lampas; Gr. lampas a torch, a light; lampo =to shine; Ger. lampe; Ital. lamp a.] 1. Literally : (1) A ve el in early times of rude pottery, later of metal, gla , or porcelain, for the production of artificial light by means of the combustion of a wick inserted in oil or other highly inflammable matter. "The wise [virgins] took oil in their ve els with their lamps ."- Matt . xxiv. 4. (2) In a loose sense, the word is used for some other contrivance of producing artificial light; as, a gas- lamp , an electric- lamp .. 2. Fig .: Anything resembling or suggesting a lamp-wick, s. 2463 1. Ord. Lang.: The capillary or foraminous material which conducts oil or grease to the part where it is consumed in the flame. Wicks are usually of woven fiber-cotton, for instance, but have been made of paper-pulp, asbestos, biscuit of fire-clay, . 2. Bot .: Phlomis lychnitis , one of the Labiatae (q. v.). It is an evergreen shrub, native of Southern Europe, whence it was taken to England in 1568. *lămp (1), v . t . & i. [LAMP, 8. ] A. Trans.: To light up, as a lamp; to illuminate. "Did toward me those lamping turns direct." Drummond, s. XV. B. In trans.: To shine; to give light. "Emongst the eternal spheres and lamping sky." Spenser: F. Q., III. iii. 1.