%lacer%

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dilacerated p. pr. & vb. n. Dilacerating ] [ L. dilaceratus, p. p. of dilacerare to tear apart; di- = dis- + lacerare to tear. ] To rend asunder; to tear to pieces. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. dilaceratio: cf. F. dilacération. ] The act of rending asunder. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One that displaces. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) The funnel part of the apparatus for solution by displacement. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. filace a file, or thread, on which the records of the courts of justice were strung, F. filasse tow of flax or hemp, fr. L. filum thread. ] (Eng. Law) A former officer in the English Court of Common Pleas; -- so called because he filed the writs on which he made out process. [ Obs. ] Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. illacerabilis: cf. F. illacérable. See In- not, and Lacerable. ] Not lacerable; incapable of being torn or rent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. lacerabilis: cf. F. lacérable. ] That can be lacerated or torn. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Lacerated p. pr. & vb. n. Lacerating ] [ L. laceratus, p. p. of lacerare to lacerate, fr. lacer mangled, lacerated; cf. Gr. &unr_; a rent, rending, &unr_; to tear; perh. akin to E. slay. ] To tear; to rend; to separate by tearing; to mangle; as, to lacerate the flesh. Hence: To afflict; to torture; as, to lacerate the heart. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } p. a. [ L. laceratus, p. p. ] 1. Rent; torn; mangled; as, a lacerated wound. [ 1913 Webster ]

By each other's fury lacerate Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot. & Zool.) Jagged, or slashed irregularly, at the end, or along the edge. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. torn roughly; -- of skin.
Syn. -- mangled, torn. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. laceratio: cf. F. lacération. ] 1. The act of lacerating. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A breach or wound made by lacerating. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Lacerating, or having the power to lacerate; as, lacerative humors. Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. lacerte. See Lacertus. ] A muscle of the human body. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lacertus the arm. ] A fathom. [ Obs. ] Domesday Book. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. a lizard. See Lizard. ] 1. (Zool.) A genus of lizards. See Lizard. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Formerly it included nearly all the known lizards. It is now restricted to certain diurnal Old World species, like the green lizard (Lacerta viridis) and the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), of Europe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Astron.) The Lizard, a northern constellation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. lacertien. ] (Zool.) Like a lizard; of or pertaining to the Lacertilia. -- n. One of the Lacertilia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Any lizard of the family Lacertidae, a family of Old World terrestrial lizard.
Syn. -- lacertid lizard. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A natural family of Old World lizards.
Syn. -- family Lacertidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. lacertus a lizard. ] (Zool.) An order of Reptilia, which includes the lizards. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ They are closely related to the snakes, and like the latter, usually have the body covered with scales or granules. They usually have eyelids, and most of then have well-formed legs; but in some groups (amphisbæna, glass-snake, etc.) the legs are absent and the body is serpentlike. None are venomous, unless Heloderma be an exception. The order includes the chameleons, the Cionocrania, or typical lizards, and the amphisbænas. See Amphisbæna, Gecko, Gila monster, and Lizard. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. Same as Lacertian. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Lacertilia + -oid. ] (Zool.) Like or belonging to the Lacertilia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Lacertian. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Lacerti [ L., the upper arm. ] (Anat.) A bundle or fascicle of muscular fibers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who places or sets. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]