let-through
A transient voltage spike that is allowed to pass through a power conditioning unit to the load
Entries starting with L
181 entries.
letter-quality printing
A printing method that produces solid letters that are as clear or clearer than those produced by a typewriter.
letterpress
The printing process in which ink is applied to the top surface of a raised image area, which is then pressed against paper to transfer the image.
lettice cap
A high fashion cap worn in 16th-century England, typically made of white fur from the least weasel, or sometimes velvet.
level junction
nounRail equipment
An at-grade junction between two crossing railroad tracks.
level staff
nounSurveying
A graduated rod used by surveyors to measure differences in level.
level-triggered
adjectiveElectrical engineering
Describing a circuit or component whose output is sensitive to changes of the inputs only so long as the clock input's signal is high.
leveling
nounSurveying
The process of measuring levels to establish heights and altitudes.
levelling staff
nounSurveying
A graduated pole used in the process of establishing heights and altitudes.
lever
A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied;, used for transmitting and modifying force and motion.
lever frame
nounRail equipment
A frame in a signal box in which levers that operate signals and points are mounted.
Leyden jar
A glass jar or bottle used to accumulate static electricity between two electrodes.
LF
nounConstruction
Initialism of linear feet.
LH
nounManufacturing
Initialism of left hand.
Li-ion
Abbreviation of lithium ion battery.
Lichtenberg figure
A branching pattern on the surface of an insulator that has been subject to an electric discharge
liftgate
nounAutomotive
A closure at the rear of a vehicle, or rear door, that can be raised to access the back of a vehicle.
liftglass
nounAutomotive
A windshield panel at the rear of a vehicle that can be raised to provide space for protruding objects, intended for when opening the entire liftgate is not necessary.
lifting shop
nounRail equipment
A workshop where vehicles are lifted off their bogies for maintenance work to be carried out.
LIGA
nounManufacturing
A manufacturing process involving lithography, electroplating, and molding, used microstructures with a very high aspect ratio.
light clay
Straw-clay, a mixture of straw with a dressing of dilute liquid clay or clay slip. This natural material, making use of an agricultural by-product with an abundant component of soil, has good insulating qualities but is not suitable for load-bearing structural elements.
light engine
nounRail equipment
A locomotive running on its own, or with other powered locomotives, with no wagons or carriages attached.
light plough
A simple plough lacking a moldboard and that is symmetrical on both sides of its draft line.
light rail
nounRail equipment
A kind of passenger railway in urban and suburban settings typically characterized by a mixture of tram (or in North America streetcar) and metro features, crossing streets at grade crossings and normally powered by electricity.
light railway
nounRail equipment
A railway built at a lower cost, with a lighter track and to a lower standard than a main-line railway.
light vehicle
A vehicle designed to carry small loads or a small number of passengers up to an officially set weight or number, such as a car, van, motorbike, scooter, etc.
lighting-up time
nounAutomotive
A time period during which all motor vehicles on unlit public roads must have their headlights switched on.
lights-out
adjectiveManufacturing
Done or performed in the dark because of a fully automated working environment. Often describes night shift or third shift work.
Limerick lace
A kind of hybrid lace of embroidered needle lace or crocheted lace on a machine-made net base, originally made in Limerick, Ireland, and noted for its variety of delicate fillings.
limit switch
Originally, a device used to define the limit of travel of an object.
limited-slip differential
A type of differential that allows its output shafts to rotate at different speeds but can limit the maximum difference in angular velocity between the output shafts, allowing greater torque to be applied to the slower-spinning shaft(s) and generally resulting in better traction than older-design differentials.
limiter
A circuit that allows signals below a specified input threshold to pass unaffected while attenuating the peaks of stronger signals.
line art
Artwork to be reproduced with one solid color, contrasted with artwork having tone or shading (halftones), or full color (color separations).
line card
A modular electronic circuit designed to fit on a separate PCB and interface with a telecommunications access network.
line conductor
A wire or cable that transports electrical current from the power supply to the consumer, usually color-coded with a brown or black casing.
line drop
A drop in voltage between two points of a transmission line.
line lock
nounAutomotive
A device that allows the front brakes to lock independently of the rear brakes via a switch.
line printer
A high-speed impact printer, most often used by older mainframes, that prints an entire line in a single operation.
line speed
nounRail equipment
The maximum speed at which trains can run on a given railway line, or section of line.
linecasting
The use of a linecaster to cast entire lines of type in metal slugs.
lineman splice
A method of tightly joining two ends of metal wire by twisting each around the other.
link
nounSurveying
The length of one joint of Gunter's chain, being the hundredth part of it, or 7.92 inches, the chain being 66 feet in length.
linoblock
A linoleum block used in block printing.
linocut
A type of woodcut in which a block of linoleum is used for the relief surface; the design cut into the block.
LiPo
Abbreviation of lithium polymer, a type of battery.
liquate
verbMetallurgy
To separate by fusion, as a more fusible from a less fusible material.
liquation
nounMetallurgy
The partial melting of a mixture of metals or ores in order to separate components.
list
nounCarpentry
A narrow strip of wood, especially sapwood, cut from the edge of a board or plank.
lithium ion battery
A type of rechargeable battery containing lithium compounds but not elemental lithium, used in many consumer electronics devices.
lithium-ion battery
A form of rechargeable battery containing lithium compounds, but not elemental lithium, used in many consumer electronics devices.
lithogeochemistry
The scientific study of the composition, structure, properties and reactions of stone and mineral from the earth.
little black dress
A simply cut and often quite short evening or cocktail dress.
live conductor
Any conductor carrying electrical current.
live load
Temporary load that the roof structure must be designed to support, as required by governing building codes. Live loads are generally moving and/or dynamic or environmental (e.g. people, installation equipment, snow, ice or rain).
live wire
An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current.
livestock unit
A unit of measure for assessing the overall effect on grazing land of different types of animal.
living fence
A natural boundary formed by densely planting shrubs, trees, or vines in order to create a functional barrier.
living mulch
A cover crop interplanted or undersown with the main crop, and intended to fulfil the functions of a mulch, such as weed suppression and regulation of soil temperature.
load
Any component that draws current or power from an electrical circuit.
load bank
A piece of electrical test equipment used to simulate an electrical load, to test an electric power source without connecting it to its normal operating load.