Lakh India 100,000 (1 lakh of rupees was about 10,000 pounds in 1857).
Lascar India A camp follower, general labourer.
Lat- India Great or big.
Lathi India A sturdy stick, usually made of bamboo.
Leatherneck Naval A slang name for a Royal Marine; it is derived from the small piece of leather sewn in the collar of the Marines' dress tunic. A synonym is "Bootneck".
Legislative Legal The law-making body of a State or colony.
Levanter Naval A strong easterly wind in the Mediterranean. The name is associated chiefly with Gibraltar.
Letters Patent Latin A document sealed with the Great Seal of England giving authority to an individual or a corporation to do or enjoy something they otherwise could not. They were issued to create monopolies, titles or granting offices.
Limey North America The American slang name for a British sailor - from the lime juice ordered by the British Merchant Shipping Act to be issued to the crews of British ships as an anti-scorbutic.
Loggerheads Naval To be at loggerheads is to be bad friends even if not actively quarrelling. The expression comes from the instrument used for heating pitch for coating the seams of a ship's decks - two large iron spheres one at each end of an iron bar. One of the spheres was heated and then put in the pitch bucket to melt the pitch. Thus the two loggerheads were always apart, and, also, a hot loggerhead was a thing to keep away from.
Loot India Plunder or money.
Lotah India A drinking vessel.
Lungi India A cloth coming down to the knees, often worn by Muslim men.
