L
(101 words)
label
noun [ C ]
a word or a phrase that is used to describe the characteristics or qualities of people, activities, or things, often in a way that is unfair:
labour of love
a piece of hard work that you do because you enjoy it and not because you will receive money or praise for it, or because you need to do it:
labour
noun
[ C or U ] the last stage of pregnancy from the time when the muscles of the womb start to push the baby out of the body until the baby appears:
be lacking
If something that you need is lacking, you do not have enough of it:
laid-back
adjective informal
relaxed in manner and character; not usually worried about other people’s behaviour or things that need to be done:
land
COUNTRY
noun
[ C ] literary a country:
GET
verb
[ T ] to get or achieve something good, especially in a way that seems easy or unexpected:
landmark
noun [ C ]
an important stage in something’s development:
life in the fast lane
a way of living that is full of excitement, activity, and often danger:
take a stroll/trip/walk down memory lane
to remember happy times in the past
at large
generally:
loom large
If something looms large, it becomes very important and often causes worry:
the last sb heard/saw of sb/sth
the last time someone heard anything about someone or something or the last time someone saw him, her, or it:
late
adjective [ before noun ]
used to refer to someone who has died:
at the (very) latest
used to emphasize that something must happen or be done before a stated time or day:
I have to get this finished by Friday at the latest.
later
TOWARDS THE END
adjective [ before noun ]
happening towards the end of a period of time or the end of someone’s life:
RECENT
adjective [ before noun ]
more modern or recent:
lavish
adjective
large in quantity and expensive or impressive:
law
noun
[ C ] a general rule that states what always happens when the same conditions exist:
take the law into your own hands
to do something illegal and often violent in order to punish someone because you know the law will not punish that person:
law and order
a situation in which the laws of a country are being obeyed, especially when the police or army are used to make certain of this:
lead
INFLUENCE
verb
[ T ] to cause someone to do something, especially something bad:
SHOWING WAY
noun
[ C usually singular ] the act of showing a person or group of people what to do:
the lead
the main part or actor in a film or play
lead up to sth
If a period of time or series of events leads up to an event or activity, it happens until that event or activity begins:
turn over a new leaf
to start behaving in a better way:
leak
verb [ I or T ]
to allow secret information to become generally known:
noun [ C ]
the origin of secret information that becomes known, or the act of making it known:
lean on sb
informal
to try to make someone do what you want by threatening or persuading them:
leap
MOVE SUDDENLY
verb [ I + adv/prep ]
to make a large jump or sudden movement, usually from one place to another:
SUDDEN CHANGE
noun [ C ]
a big change, increase, or improvement:
leap at sth
to eagerly accept the chance to do or have something:
by/in leaps and bounds
If someone or something gets better by/in leaps and bounds, he, she, or it improves very quickly:
not in the least
not in any way:
leave
WAIT
verb
[ T ] If you leave (doing) something, you wait before you do it:
AFTER DEATH
[ + two objects ] If you leave something that you own to someone, you say they should receive it when you die:
HOLIDAY
noun
[ U ] time allowed away from work for a holiday or illness:
leave sb to their own devices
to allow someone to make their own decisions about what to do:
leave no stone unturned
to do everything you can to achieve a good result, especially when looking for something:
lecture
verb
[ I ] to give a formal talk to a group of people, often at a college or university:
legacy
noun [ C ]
money or property that you receive from someone after they die:
something that is a part of your history or that remains from an earlier time:
legislation
noun [ U ]
a law or set of laws suggested by a government and made official by a parliament:
legitimate
adjective
allowed by law:
reasonable and acceptable:
lend itself to sth
formal
If something lends itself to something else, it is suitable for that thing or can be considered in that way:
the length and breadth of somewhere
If you travel the length and breadth of a place, you go to every part of it:
at length
for a long time:
George went on at great length about his various illnesses.
lenient
adjective
not as severe or strong in punishment or judgment as would be expected:
teach sb a lesson
A person or experience that teaches you a lesson improves your future behaviour by making you experience the bad effects of your actions:
let go
to stop holding something:
to stop thinking about or being angry about the past or something that happened in the past:
lethal
adjective
able to cause or causing death; extremely dangerous:
liable
adjective [ after verb ]
very likely to do something:
be at liberty to do sth
formal
to be allowed to do something:
I’m not at liberty to reveal any names.
lie
verb
[ I usually + adv/prep ] If responsibility, blame, a decision, a choice, etc. lies with someone, they have responsibility, must make the decision, etc.:
life
noun
[ C usually singular ] the period for which a machine or organization lasts:
lifelong
adjective [ before noun ]
lasting for the whole of a person’s life:
lifespan
noun [ C ]
the length of time for which a person, animal, or thing exists:
come to light
If facts come to light, they become known publicly:
bring sth to light
If someone brings something to light, they discover it or make it known publicly:
make light of sth
to behave as if a situation, especially a problem, is not serious or important:
not do sth lightly
If something is not said or treated lightly, it is said or treated in a serious way, after great thought:
like hell
informal
very much:
something like
similar to:
likelihood
noun [ U ]
the chance that something will happen:
in all likelihood
almost certainly:
likewise
adverb
in the same way:
within limits
to some extent, but not allowing everything:
off-limits
adjective [ after verb ]
If an area of land is off-limits, you are not allowed to enter it.
line
ROW
noun
[ C ] a group of people or things arranged in a row:
DIVISION
[ C ] a long, thin and sometimes imaginary mark that forms the edge, border, or limit of something:
APPROACH TO SUBJECT
[ C ] a way of dealing with or thinking about something or someone:
MILITARY
[ C ] a row of positions used to defend against enemy attack, especially the ones closest to enemy positions:
FORM ROW
verb [ T ]
to form a row along the side of something:
be on the line
to be at risk:
the bottom line
the most important fact in a situation:
along the lines of sth; along those lines
similar in type:
be in line with sth
similar to, or at the same level as something:
draw the line
to never do something because you think it is wrong:
line of reasoning, thinking, etc.
a way of thinking about a particular subject:
read between the lines
to try to understand someone’s real feelings or intentions from what they say or write:
line
noun
[ C ] a group of people or things arranged in a row:
linen
noun [ U ]
strong cloth made from the fibres of the flax plant:
also linens [ plural ] sheets, tablecloths, etc. made from linen or a similar material:
linger
verb [ I ]
to take a long time to leave or disappear:
listen in on sth/sb
If you listen in on a conversation or on someone talking, you listen, especially secretly, without saying anything:
literal
adjective
The literal meaning of a word is its original, basic meaning:
literate
adjective
able to read and write
little more/better
not much more or better:
live
verb
[ I ] to stay alive, especially by getting enough money to pay for food, a place to stay, clothing, etc.:
live through sth
to experience a difficult situation or event:
loathe
verb [ T ]
to hate someone or something:
loathing
noun [ S or U ] formal
a strong feeling of hating someone or something:
lobby
verb [ I or T ]
to try to persuade a politician, the government, or an official group that a particular thing should or should not happen, or that a law should be changed:
local
noun [ C ]
a person who lives in the particular small area that you are talking about:
loft
noun [ C ]
a space at the top of a building under the roof used for storing things and usually entered by a ladder, or sometimes made into a room for living in:
logically
adverb
long
adverb
a long period of time before or after something:
long for sth; long to do sth
formal
to want something very much:
longevity
noun [ U ] formal
living for a long time:
longing
noun [ S or U ]
a feeling of wanting something or someone very much:
long-lasting
adjective
continuing for a long period of time:
long-running
adjective [ before noun ]
continuing for a long time:
be looking to do sth
to be planning to do something:
look ahead
to think about what will happen in the future and plan for these events:
look over sth
to quickly examine something:
sb’s looks
a person’s appearance, especially how attractive they are:
loom
APPEAR
verb [ I ]
to appear as a large, often frightening or unclear shape or object:
CAUSE WORRY
verb [ I ]
If an unwanted or unpleasant event looms, it seems likely to happen soon and causes worry:
loose
adjective
not tightly controlled, or not exact:
loosen
verb
[ I or T ] to (cause to) become loose:
loss
noun
[ S ] a disadvantage caused by someone leaving or by something being taken away:
lucrative
adjective
(especially of a business, job, or activity) producing a lot of money:
lump
noun [ C ]
a piece of a solid substance, usually with no particular shape:
bring a lump to/have a lump in your throat
to give you/to have a tight feeling in your throat because you want to cry:
lure
noun
[ C usually singular ] the quality or power that something or someone has that makes it, him, or her attractive:
verb [ T ]
to persuade someone to do something or go somewhere by offering them something exciting: