coarse thick garment worn by the Romans over their gowns, like a cloak, to keep off the rain and cold. It was first used in the camp, but afterwards admitted into the city. The emperors wore the lacerna of a purple dye. The lacerna was at first very short, but was lengthened after it became fashionable, which was not till the civil wars and the triumvirate; before this time it was confined to the soldiers. Senators were forbidden wearing it in the city by Valentinian and Theodosius. Martial makes mention of lacerna worth 10,000 sesterces. Some confound this garment with the penula; but it seems rather to have resembled the chlamys and birrus.

Lacerta, including the Lizard, Crocodile, &c., a genus of amphibious animals, belonging to the order of reptilia. See Reptology Index.

Laches, (from the French lascher, i.e. laxare, or lasche, ignavus), in the English law signifies slackness or negligence, as it appears in Littleton, where laches of entry is a neglect of the heir to enter. And probably it may be an old English word: for where we say there is laches of entry, it is all one as if it were said there is a lack of entry: and in this signification it is used. No laches shall be adjudged in the heir within age; and regularly, laches shall not bar infants or female coverts for not entry or claim, to avoid descents; but laches shall be accounted in them for non-performance of a condition annexed to the state of the land.