in a general sense, denotes terra firma, as distinguished from sea.

in a limited sense, denotes arable ground.

in nautical language, forms part of several compound terms. Thus, land-laid, or to lay the land, is just to lose sight of it. Land-locked, is when land lies all round the ship, so that no point of the compass is open to the sea. If the vessel is at anchor in such a place, she is said to ride land-locked, and is therefore concluded to ride safe from the violence of the winds and tides. Land-mark, is any mountain, rock, steeple, tree, or other object which may serve to make the land known at sea. The land is shut in, is a term used to signify that another point of land hinders the sight of that from which the ship came. Land-to, or the ship lies land-to, means she is so far from shore that it can only just be discerned. Land turn, is a wind that in almost all hot countries blows at certain times from the shore in the night. To set the land, is to see by the compass how it bears.

LAND-TAX, one of the annual taxes raised upon the subject. See Taxation.

LAND-WAITER, an officer of the custom-house, whose duty it is, upon the landing of any merchandise, to examine, taste, weigh, and measure them, and to take an account thereof. In some ports they also execute the office of a coast-waiter. They are likewise occasionally styled searchers, and are required to attend and join with the patent searcher in the execution of all cockets for the shipping of goods to be exported to foreign parts; and in cases where drawbacks on bounties are to be paid to the merchant on the exportation of any goods, they, as well as the patent searchers, are to certify the shipping thereof on the debentures.