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Lime

1. To smear with a viscous substance, as birdlime. These twigs, in time, will come to be limed. (L'Estrange)

2. To entangle; to insnare. We had limed ourselves With open eyes, and we must take the chance. (Tennyson)

3. To treat with lime, or oxide or hydrate of calcium; to manure with lime; as, to lime hides for removing the hair; to lime sails in order to whiten them. Land may be improved by draining, marling, and liming. (Sir j. Child)

4. To cement. Who gave his blood to lime the stones together.

Origin: cf. As. Geliman to glue or join together. See lime a viscous substance.

(Science: botany) The linden tree. See linden.

Origin: Formerly line, for earlier lind. See linden.

(Science: botany) a fruit allied to the lemon, but much smaller; also, the tree which bears it. There are two kinds; citrus Medica, var. Acida which is intensely sour, and the sweet lime (c. Medica, var. Limetta) which is only slightly sour.

Origin: f. Lime; of persian origin. See lemon.

1. Birdlime. Like the lime That foolish birds are caught with. (Wordsworth)

2. (Science: chemistry) oxide of calcium; the white or gray, caustic substance, usually called quicklime, obtained by calcining limestone or shells, the heat driving off carbon dioxide and leaving lime. It develops great heat when treated with water, forming slacked lime, and is an essential ingredient of cement, plastering, mortar, etc.

lime is the princi 8c4 pal constituent of limestone, marble, chalk, bones, shells, etc. Caustic lime, calcium hydrate or slacked lime; also, in a less technical sense, calcium oxide or quicklime. Lime burner, one who burns limestone, shells, etc, to make lime. Lime light. See calcium light under calcium. Lime pit, a limestone quarry. Lime rod, lime twig, a twig smeared with birdlime; hence, that which catches; a snare.

Origin: as. Lim; akin to D. Lijm, g. Leim, OHG. Lim, L. Limus mud, linere to smear, and E. Loam. Cf. Loam, liniment.