limb

n. [ OE. lim, AS. lim; akin to Icel. limr limb, lim branch of a tree, Sw. & Dan. lem limb; cf. also AS. lið, OHG. lid, gilid, G. glied, Goth. liþus. Cf. Lith, Limber. ] 1. A part of a tree which extends from the trunk and separates into branches and twigs; a large branch. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An arm or a leg of a human being; a leg, arm, or wing of an animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

A second Hector for his grim aspect,
And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

That little limb of the devil has cheated the gallows. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock. [ 1913 Webster ]

Limb of the law, a lawyer or an officer of the law. [ Colloq. ] Landor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. limbus border. Cf. Limbo, Limbus. ] A border or edge, in certain special uses. (a) (Bot.) The border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal, or sepal; blade. (b) (Astron.) The border or edge of the disk of a heavenly body, especially of the sun and moon. (c) The graduated margin of an arc or circle, in an instrument for measuring angles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] A cooling periodical wind in the Isle of Cyprus, blowing from the northwest from eight o'clock, A. M., to the middle of the day or later. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. limbatus, fr. limbus border, edge. See Limbus. ] (Bot. & Zool.) Bordered, as when one color is surrounded by an edging of another. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To distill. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Abbrev. of alembic. ] An alembic; a still. [ Obs. ] Spenser. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having limbs; -- much used in composition; as, large-limbed; short-limbed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms,
Limbed and full grown. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Limbered p. pr. & vb. n. Limbering. ] (Mil.) To attach to the limber; as, to limber a gun. [ 1913 Webster ]

To limber up, to change a gun carriage into a four-wheeled vehicle by attaching the limber. [ 1913 Webster ]