Locofoco

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Locofoco \Lo`co*fo"co\, n. [Of uncertain etymol.; perh. for L.
     loco foci instead of fire; or, according to Bartlett, it was
     called so from a self-lighting cigar, with a match
     composition at the end, invented in 1834 by John Marck of New
     York, and called by him locofoco cigar, in imitation of the
     word locomotive, which by the uneducated was supposed to


     mean, self-moving.]
     1. A friction match. [U.S.]
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     2. A nickname formerly given to a member of the Democratic
        party. [U.S.]
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     Note: The name was first applied, in 1834, to a portion of
           the Democratic party, because, at a meeting in Tammany
           Hall, New York, in which there was great diversity of
           sentiment, the chairman left his seat, and the lights
           were extinguished, for the purpose of dissolving the
           meeting; when those who were opposed to an adjournment
           produced locofoco matches, rekindled the lights,
           continued the meeting, and accomplished their object.
           [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Lucifer \Lu"ci*fer\, n. [L., bringing light, n., the morning
     star, fr. lux, lucis, light + ferre to bring.]
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     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}.
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     4. (Zool.) A genus of free-swimming macruran Crustacea,
        having a slender body and long appendages.
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