|
| laborious |
adj. needing much effort |
| labyrinth |
n. complicated network of winding passages, paths,
etc through which it is difficult to find one's way |
| lacerate |
v. injure by tearing |
| lackadaisical |
adj. lacking vigour and determination; unenthusiastic |
| lactation |
n. production of milk in the breasts of women or the
udders of female animals |
| lacteal |
Milky. |
| lactic |
adj. of or from milk |
| laddie |
n. boy; young man ; |
| ladle |
n. long-handled cup-shaped spoon for serving or transferring
liquids |
| laggard |
n. person who lags behind |
| landholder |
n. owner or tenant of land |
| landlord |
n. person who lets land, a house, a room, etc to a
tenant |
| landmark |
n. object, etc easily seen and recognized from a distance |
| landscape |
n. scenery of an area of land |
| languid |
adj. lacking vigour or energy; slow-moving |
| languor |
n. tiredness or laziness of mind and body; listlessness
; |
| lapse |
n. small error, esp one caused by forgetfulness or
inattention |
| lascivious |
adj. feeling, expressing or causing sexual desire |
| lassie |
A little lass. |
| latency |
n. latency period stage of personal development from
the age of about five to the start of puberty |
| latent |
adj. existing but not yet active, developed or visible |
| lateral |
adj. of, at, from or towards the side |
| latish |
adj. adv fairly late |
| lattice |
n. framework of crossed laths or bars with spaces between,
used as a screen, fence, support for climbing plants,
etc |
| laud |
v. praise (sb/sth); glorify |
| laudable |
adj. deserving praise; praiseworthy |
| laudation |
High praise. |
| laudatory |
adj. expressing or giving praise |
| laundress |
n. woman who earns money by laundering |
| laureate |
n. = Poet Laureate (poet) |
| lave |
wash |
| lawgiver |
A legislator. |
| lawmaker |
n. person who makes laws; legislator ; |
| lax |
adj. not sufficiently strict or severe; negligent |
| laxative |
n, adj causing or helping the bowels to empty |
| lea |
n. area of open grassland; meadow ; |
| leaflet |
n. printed sheet of paper, usu folded and free of charge,
containing information |
| leaven |
n. substance used to make dough rise before it is baked
to make bread |
| leeward |
adj. adv on or to the side sheltered from the wind |
| left-handed |
Using the left hand or arm more dexterously than the
right. |
| legacy |
n. money or property left to sb in a will |
| legalize |
To give the authority of law to. |
| legible |
adj. clear enough to be read easily |
| legionary |
n, adj of a legion(1) |
| legislate |
v. ~ make laws |
| legislative |
adj. law-making |
| legislator |
n. member of a legislature |
| legitimacy |
n. (fml ) |
| legitimate |
adj. in accordance with the law or rules; lawful |
| leisure |
n. time free from work or other duties; spare time |
| leniency |
mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant
; a disposition to yield to the wishes of someone |
| lenient |
adj. not severe (esp in punishing people); merciful |
| leonine |
adj. of or like a lion |
| lethargy |
n. extreme lack of energy or vitality; inactivity;
apathy |
| levee |
n. assembly of visitors, esp at a formal reception |
| lever |
n. bar or other device turning on a fixed point which
lifts or opens sth with one end when pressure is applied
to the other end |
| leviathan |
n. sea-monster |
| levity |
n. lack of proper seriousness or respect |
| levy |
v. ~ sth (on sb) collect (a payment, etc) by authority
or force; impose sth |
| lewd |
adj. treating sexual matters in a vulgar or indecent
way |
| lexicographer |
n. person who compiles dictionaries |
| lexicography |
n. theory and practice of compiling dictionaries |
| lexicon |
n. dictionary, esp of an ancient language , |
| liable |
adj. ~ responsible by law |
| libel |
n. false written or printed statement that damages
sb's reputation |
| liberalism |
n. liberal opinions and principles |
| liberate |
v. ~ sb/sth set (sb/sth) free |
| licentious |
adj. disregardingthe rules of behaviour, esp in sexual
matters |
| licit |
sanctioned by custom or morality especially sexual
morality ; authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance
with law |
| liege |
n. (in feudal times) sovereign or lord, entitled to
loyal service , |
| lien |
n. ~ (on/upon sth) right to keep sb's property until
a debt owed in connection with it (for repair, transport,
etc) is paid , |
| lieu |
n. in lieu (of sth) instead |
| lifelike |
adj. exactly like a real person or thing |
| lifelong |
adj. extending throughout one's life |
| lifetime |
n. duration of sb's life or sth's existence |
| ligament |
n. tough flexible tissue in a person's or an animal's
body that connects bones and holds organs in position |
| ligature |
n. thread, bandage, etc used for tying, esp in surgical
operations , |
| ligneous |
adj. woody |
| likelihood |
n. probability |
| likely |
adj. ~ (to do sth/that...) that is expected; probable |
| limitation |
n. limiting; being limited |
| linear |
adj. of or in lines |
| liner |
n. large passenger or cargo ship travelling on a regular
route |
| lingo |
n. (infml joc or derog , ) foreign language |
| lingua |
The tongue. |
| lingual |
consisting of or related to language ; pertaining to
or resembling or lying near the tongue |
| linguist |
n. person who knows several foreign languages well |
| linguistics |
n. scientific study of language or of particular languages |
| liniment |
n. liquid, esp one made with oil, for rubbing on the
body to relieve aches or bruises |
| liquefy |
v. (cause sth to) become liquid |
| liqueur |
n. strong alcoholic spirit, drunk in small quantities
esp after a meal |
| liquidate |
v. pay or settle |
| liquor |
n. (Brit) any alcoholic drink |
| listless |
adj. having no energy, vitality or enthusiasm |
| literacy |
n. ability to read and write |
| literal |
adj. corresponding exactly to the original |
| literature |
n. writings that are valued as works of art, esp fiction,
drama and poetry (as contrasted with technical books and
journalism) |
| lithe |
adj. bending or turning easily; supple |
| lithesome |
Nimble. |
| lithograph |
n. picture, etc printed by lithography |
| litigant |
n. person involved in a lawsuit |
| litigate |
v. engage in a lawsuit; go to law ; |
| litigious |
adj. of lawsuits |
| littoral |
n, adj (part of a country that is) along the coast |
| liturgy |
n. fixed form of public worship used in churches |
| livelihood |
n. means of living; income |
| livid |
adj. of the colour of lead; bluish-grey |
| loam |
n. rich soil containing clay, sand and decayed vegetable
matter |
| loath |
adj. ~ to do sth unwilling; reluctant |
| loathe |
v. feel great hatred or disgust for (sb/sth) |
| locative |
Indicating place, or the place where or wherein an
action occurs. |
| loch |
n. (often in names ) lake |
| locomotion |
n. moving, or the ability to move, from place to place |
| lode |
n. vein of metal ore |
| lodgment |
The act of furnishing with temporary quarters. |
| logic |
n. science of reasoning |
| logical |
adj. in accordance with the rules of logic; correctly
reasoned |
| loneliness |
Solitude. |
| longevity |
n. long life |
| loot |
n. goods taken from an enemy in war, or stolen by thieves
, |
| loquacious |
adj. fondof talking; talkative ; |
| lordling |
A little lord. |
| lough |
n. lake or long inlet of the sea |
| louse |
n. small insect living on the bodies of animals and
human beings, esp in dirty conditions |
| lovable |
adj. easy to love; worthy of love |
| lowly |
adj. (dated ) of humble rank or condition |
| low-spirited |
Despondent. |
| lucid |
adj. clearly expressed; easy to understand |
| lucrative |
adj. producing much money; profitable |
| ludicrous |
adj. causing laughter; ridiculous; absurd |
| luminary |
n. person who inspires or influences others |
| luminescence |
Showing increase. |
| luminosity |
n. quality of being luminous |
| luminous |
adj. giving out light; bright |
| lunacy |
n. unsoundness of mind; insanity; madness ; |
| lunar |
adj. of the moon |
| lunatic |
n. insane person |
| lune |
The moon. |
| lurid |
adj. having bright glaring colours or combinations
of colour |
| luscious |
adj. rich and sweet in taste or smell |
| lustrous |
adj. having lustre |
| luxuriance |
n. luxuriant growth |
| luxuriant |
adj. growing thickly and strongly; lush |
| luxuriate |
v. ~ in sth take great pleasure in sth; enjoy sth as
a luxury |
| lyre |
n. ancient musical instrument with strings fixed in
a U-shaped frame, played by plucking with the fingers
, U |
| lyric |
adj. expressing direct personal feelings |
