v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Limned p. pr. & vb. n. Limning ] [ OE. limnen, fr. luminen, for enluminen, F. enluminer to illuminate, to limn, LL. illuminare to paint. √122. See Illuminate, Luminous. ] 1. To draw or paint; especially, to represent in an artistic way with pencil or brush. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let a painter carelessly limn out a million of faces, and you shall find them all different. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: To picture in words; to describe in graphic terms. [ PJC ]

3. To illumine, as books or parchments, with ornamental figures, letters, or borders. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖prop. n. [ NL., fr. Gr. limnai^os pertaining to a marsh, fr. li`mh a marsh. ] (Zool.) A genus of fresh-water air-breathing mollusks, abundant in ponds and streams; -- called also pond snail. [ Written also Lymnæa. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. enlumineur, LL. illuminator. See Limn, and cf. Alluminor. ] A painter; an artist; esp.: (a) One who paints portraits. (b) One who illuminates books. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. li`mh a pool. ] (Myth.) See Limoniad. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act, process, or art of one who limns; the picture or decoration so produced. [ 1913 Webster ]

Adorned with illumination which we now call limning. Wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A genus of shore birds including the dowitchers.
Syn. -- genus Limnodromus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the scientific study of bodies of fresh water for their biological and physical and geological properties. [ WordNet 1.5 ]