1.
[syn: match, lucifer, friction match]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Lucifer \Lu"ci*fer\, n. [L., bringing light, n., the morning
star, fr. lux, lucis, light + ferre to bring.]
[1913 Webster]
1. The planet Venus, when appearing as the morning star; --
applied in Isaiah by a metaphor to a king of Babylon.
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How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of
the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground
which didst weaken the nations! --Is. xiv. 12.
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Tertullian and Gregory the Great understood this
passage of Isaiah in reference to the fall of Satan;
in consequence of which the name Lucifer has since
been applied to Satan. --Kitto.
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2. Hence, Satan.
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How wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors! . .
.
When he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again. --Shak.
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3. A match[1] made of a sliver of wood tipped with a
combustible substance, and ignited by friction; -- called
also lucifer match, and locofoco, now most commonly
referred to as a friction match. See Locofoco.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Zool.) A genus of free-swimming macruran Crustacea,
having a slender body and long appendages.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
friction match
n 1: lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard
tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction;
"he always carries matches to light his pipe"; "as long
you've a lucifer to light your fag" [syn: match,
lucifer, friction match]