led

{ n. [ AS. lēden, l&ymacr_;den, language, speech. Cf. Leod. ] Language; speech; voice; cry. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Akin to AS. licgan to lie, Icel. liggja; cf. Icel. lögg the ledge or rim at the bottom of a cask. See Lie to be prostrate. ] [ Formerly written lidge. ] 1. A shelf on which articles may be laid; also, that which resembles such a shelf in form or use, as a projecting ridge or part, or a molding or edge in joinery. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A shelf, ridge, or reef, of rocks. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A layer or stratum. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lowest ledge or row should be of stone. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mining) A lode; a limited mass of rock bearing valuable mineral. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Shipbuilding) A piece of timber to support the deck, placed athwartship between beams. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Ledgment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Akin to D. legger layer, daybook (fr. leggen to lay, liggen to lie), E. ledge, lie. See Lie to be prostrate. ] 1. A book in which a summary of accounts is laid up or preserved; the final book of record in business transactions, in which all debits and credits from the journal, etc., are placed under appropriate heads. [ Written also leger. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) (a) A large flat stone, esp. one laid over a tomb. Oxf. Gloss. (b) A horizontal piece of timber secured to the uprights and supporting floor timbers, a staircase, scaffolding, or the like. It differs from an intertie in being intended to carry weight. [ Written also ligger. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Ledger bait, fishing bait attached to a floating line fastened to the bank of a stream, pond, etc. Walton. J. H. Walsh. --
Ledger blade, a stationary shearing blade in a machine for shearing the nap of cloth. --
Ledger line. See Leger line, under 3d Leger, a. --
Ledger wall (Mining), the wall under a vein; the foot wall. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) (a) A string-course or horizontal suit of moldings, such as the base moldings of a building. Oxf. Gloss. (b) The development of the surface of a body on a plane, so that the dimensions of the different sides may be easily ascertained. Gwilt. [ Written also ledgement, legement, and ligement. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Abounding in ledges; consisting of a ledge or reef; as, a ledgy island. [ 1913 Webster ]