L -Idioms
a labor of love
- something done for personal pleasure and not for money
The man's book is a labor of love and he doesn`t expect to make any money from it.
lace into (someone)
- attack or scold someone
The mother laced into her child when he came home late from the movie.
lace into (something)
- devour/eat food
We laced into our dinner as soon as we entered the house.
lady killer
- a man who some women find very charming and attractive
The man in the movie was a lady killer who broke the hearts of many women.
lady`s man
- a man who is popular with women
He is a lady`s man and always seems to have a woman interested in him.
laid-back
- relaxed, not worried by things
Our teacher has a very laid-back attitude about how long we should spend preparing for our class.
be laid up
- be confined to bed or unfit for work
He has been laid up for a few days because of a cold.
a lame duck
- a public official who has a short time left to serve in office and therefore has less power than before
He was a lame-duck leader so it was difficult for him to accomplish some things.
land of Nod
- sleep
I entered the land of Nod as soon as my head hit the pillow.
land on one`s feet/both feet
- come out of a bad situation successfully
My friend always manages to land on his feet no matter how difficult the situation is.
land up (somewhere or in some situation)
- come to be in a certain place or situation
We landed up in the suburbs although we were trying to go downtown.
landslide victory
- a very substantial victory (usually in an election)
My favorite candidate won a landslide victory in the election.
lap up (something)
- to eat or drink something with the tongue (as a dog or cat would)
The dog lapped up the milk that his owner had given him.
lap up (something)
- eagerly take in or accept some information/praise
He lapped up the praise that his boss gave him for the recently completed project.
lapse into a coma
- go into a coma
The woman lapsed into a coma soon after the accident.
lash out (at someone)
- attack someone with words
They were walking along the beach when the girl suddenly lashed out in anger at her boyfriend.
lash out (at someone)
- suddenly try to hit someone
The boy suddenly lashed out and hit the man who was sitting beside him.
last but not least
- in the last place but not the least important
Last but not least the boy came up to the front of the class to receive his report card.
a last-ditch effort
- a final effort
The government made a last-ditch effort to prevent a strike by the teachers.
the last person
- the most unlikely person to do something or to be seen somewhere
My friend is the last person that you would expect to see in a clothing store buying clothes.
the last straw
- the last insult or mistake that one can endure and which then causes some reaction
The fourth time that the girl came to work late was the last straw and we finally fired her.
last will and testament
- one's will (especially its latest version)
After my grandfather's funeral my uncle read out his last will and testament.
the last word
- the last remark in an argument, the final say in deciding something
She always expects to have the last word when she and her husband go shopping together.
late in life
- when one is older
Some very great painters never started painting until rather late in life.
late in the day
- far along in a project or activity
We received some new instructions for our marketing effort but it was a little late in the day to change our plans.
laugh all the way to the bank
- make money in a way that other people think is impossible
I was laughing all the way to the bank with the money that I made from selling drinks at the sports stadium.
laugh off (something)
- to not take something seriously
The man laughed off the attempt by his boss to make him come to work on time.
laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
- change from being happy to being sad
My friend was laughing out of the other side of his mouth when he learned that he would get a ticket for parking his car in the wrong place.
laugh (something) out of court
- dismiss (a legal case) as being ridiculous
They laughed the case out of court when the woman tried to sue the dog's owner after the dog ate her flowers.
laugh up one's sleeve
- laugh quietly to oneself
I was laughing up my sleeve when I learned that my friend would have to clean the bathroom at work and not me.
launch forth (on something)
- start out on something
Our boss launched forth on a long criticism of how we were doing our jobs.
a law unto oneself
- one who makes one's own laws or rules
The city council member thought that she was a law unto herself until she resigned because of a scandal.
lay Idioms not lay a finger/hand on (someone)
- not touch someone, not do something to someone
The man was told by the police never to lay a finger on his wife again.
lay an egg
- fail to win the interest or favor of an audience
Although the magician was supposed to be good, his performance was terrible and it laid an egg with the audience.
lay away (something)
- save something
The couple are trying to lay away some money for their holiday next year.
lay down one's life (for someone or something)
- sacrifice one's life for someone or something
The young man layed down his life trying to protect the property of his company.
lay down the law
- tell someone what to do by using your power or influence
The new manager plans to lay down the law to the workers regarding long lunch breaks.
lay eyes on (someone or something)
- see someone or something
I have never laid eyes on a more beautiful dog in my life.
lay hold of (something)
- get possession of something
If I can lay hold of some tools I will help you fix your toilet.
lay in (something)
- store up a supply of something, get and store something for future use
They are trying to lay in as much food as possible before winter comes.
lay/light into (someone)
- attack someone with words
As soon as I came into work this morning my boss laid/lit into me about my poor sales performance last month.
lay/light into (something)
- do/eat something with much energy and enthusiasm
He laid into the steak as soon as the waiter brought it to his table.
lay it on thick
- praise someone too much
My friend began to lay it on thick when I told him about my new job.
lay low
- to hide, to keep out of sight for a period of time
He decided to lay low until his friend forgot that he had damaged his car.
the lay of the land
- the features of an area of land or of an organization
We checked out the lay of the land before we put up our tent and made a camping site.
lay off (someone)
- stop bothering someone, leave someone alone
The coach told the players to lay off the new player so that he could relax before the game.
lay off (something)
- stop using or taking something bad (alcohol/drugs/chocolate/cigarettes)
I was told by my doctor to lay off smoking or I would be sick in the future.
lay off (workers/staff)
- reduce the number of workers when business is bad
Six hundred workers at the automobile factory were recently laid off.
lay one`s cards on the table
- let someone know one`s position and feelings openly, deal honestly with something
He decided to lay his cards on the table and tell his boss about the job offer from the other company.
lay one's hands on (someone)
- do violence to someone, harm/hurt someone
The man said that if he ever lays hands on the person who stole his car he will take him directly to the police.
lay one's hands on (something)
- find something, acquire something
If I can lay my hands on a slide projector, I will show you the pictures of my holiday tonight.
lay out (money)
- spend or pay some money
My friend will have to lay out a lot of money for his new apartment.
lay out (something)
- plan something
We will lay out our plan for the new building at the next meeting.
to lay over
- to arrive somewhere and wait some time before continuing a journey
We were told that we will have to lay over in London for nine hours before we go on to Kenya.
lay (someone) to rest
- to bury someone
We laid my uncle to rest in a nice ceremony last night.
lay (something) on (someone)
- direct blame or guilt on someone
The company tried to lay the computer problems on one of the managers.
lay (something) on the line
- speak directly and firmly about something
The librarian finally had to lay it on the line and told everyone not to bring drinks into the library.
lay (something) to rest
- to put an end to a rumor, to finish dealing with a problem and forget about it
We want to lay to rest the rumors about the financial problems in the company.
lay the blame on (someone or something)
- blame someone or something
We laid the blame on my friend for making us late for the concert.
lay the groundwork for (something)
- to build the foundation or basis of something, to do the basic work that will lead to future success
The new training program will lay the groundwork for the future success of the company.
lay up (a vessel)
- take a vessel out of active service, put a boat in a boat dock or a garage
The weather was getting cold so they decided to lay up their boat for the winter.
lay up (something)
- collect a supply of something, save something for future use, store something
We are planning to lay up some canned fruit for the winter.
lay waste (to something)
- destroy and leave something in ruins, wreck something
The army troops laid waste to the enemy territory.
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layaway plan
- a plan in which someone pays part of some money that is owed and then pays the rest later and the store keeps the item until the full price has been paid
I decided to buy the television set on the department store`s layaway plan.
lead Idioms lead a dog`s life
- live a hard life, work hard and be treated unkindly
He says that he has been leading a dog`s life since he started his new job.
lead off
- begin, start, open
The golfer was the first to lead off in the tournament.
lead (someone) by the nose
- have full control of someone, make or persuade someone to do what you want
He isn`t very aggressive and always lets his boss lead him by the nose.
lead (someone) down the garden path
- deceive someone
The woman was leading her boyfriend down the garden path when she promised to marry him.
lead (someone) on
- insincerely encourage someone
I think my friend was leading me on when he told me about the new job.
lead (someone) on a merry chase
- lead someone on a chase with no purpose
The criminal led the police on a merry chase before they finally arrested him.
lead (someone) to believe (something)
- imply something to someone
The salesman led me to believe that he would be able to deliver the product within a week.
lead (someone) to do (something)
- cause someone to do something
The loud scream from the dining room led the chef to ruin his main dish of the evening.
lead/live the life of Riley
- live an easy life of luxury, live a pleasant life
My father has been leading the life of Riley since he retired from his job.
lead the way
- go first and show others how to go somewhere, guide someone
I had to lead the way because nobody knew where the new office was located.
lead up to (something)
- prepare the way for something
The concerts in the park were leading up to the final band contest of the music festival.
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a leading question
- a question that suggests the kind of answer that you want to hear
The lawyer asked the man a leading question when he asked him why he had lied about the money. He had never lied about money.
leaf through (something)
- look through a book/magazine/newspaper without reading it in detail
I leafed through several magazines while I was sitting in the doctor's office.
leak out (something)
- disclose special/secret information to the press
The information about the illegal donations were leaked out to the press.
lean on (someone)
- pressure someone by blackmail or threats of physical violence to make him or her do something
The gang decided to lean on the small shop owner to get him to sell his property.
lean over backwards (to do something or to help someone)
- do everything possible to please someone
My cousin leaned over backwards to help my father when he was sick.
lean toward (doing something)
- tend toward doing something
At the moment we are leaning toward buying a laptop computer rather than a desktop computer.
leap to conclusions
- decide something without having all the facts
Our teacher leaped to conclusions when she accused the boy of breaking the window.
learn (something) by heart
- memorize something
I quickly learned my library card number by heart.
learn (something) by rote
- memorize something without thinking about what is being learned
The children learned the material by rote but they didn't really understand it.
learn (something) from the bottom up
- learn something thoroughly from the beginning
The young man learned about the company from the bottom up before his father retired.
learn (something) the hard way
- learn something by experience (often something unpleasant)
The young man learned things the hard way when he was sent to jail for stealing the computer.
learn the ropes
- learn how to do a job
He is a new employee and is still learning the ropes.
learn to live with (something)
- learn to adapt to something unpleasant or painful
My mother and father must learn to live with not having a supermarket next door to them.
least of all
- the least, of smallest importance
I don't like any of the choices offered, least of all the one that we were forced to choose.
leave Idioms leave a bad taste in one`s mouth
- leave a bad impression, make one feel disgusted
The way that the company fired the workers left a bad taste in everyone`s mouth.
leave a lot to be desired
- be inadequate
The job performance of the new employee leaves a lot to be desired.
leave no stone unturned
- try in every way to do something, do everything possible
The police left no stone unturned when they were looking for the little girl who was lost.
leave one to one's fate
- abandon someone to whatever may happen
The tour was suddenly canceled and we were left to our fate regarding an attempt to get our money refunded.
leave one's mark on (someone or something)
- affect the behavior and performance of another person or of something
The former president left his mark on the way that the company was run for many years after he retired.
leave oneself wide open for (something)
- fail to protect oneself from criticism or ridicule
The actions of our manager left him wide open for criticism from everybody in our company.
leave (someone) alone
- to not disturb someone
"Please leave me alone so I can finish this essay."
leave (someone or something) behind
- leave someone or something somewhere
I left my coat behind in the restaurant.
leave (someone) flat
- fail to entertain or stimulate someone, leave someone with no money
My friend's attempt at making a joke left everyone in the room flat.
leave (someone) for dead
- abandon someone as being dead
The hiker was left for dead when the rescue group could find no indication of where he was.
leave (someone) high and dry
- leave someone helpless
The employees were left high and dry when the company went out of business.
leave (someone) holding the bag
- leave someone to take the blame for something
My friend left me holding the bag when he ran away from the accident.
leave (someone or something) in (someone's) hands
- give someone control of or responsibility for someone or something
I left the planning for the barbecue in my father's hands.
leave (someone) in peace
- stop bothering someone
The woman was happy when her family went out and left her in peace for several hours.
leave (someone) in the lurch
- desert or leave someone alone and in trouble, refuse to help or support someone
My coworker left me in the lurch when he didn`t come and help me as he had promised earlier in the day.
leave (someone) out in the cold
- exclude someone
We made an effort not to leave my friend out in the cold when we were planning the birthday party.
leave (something) hanging (in the air)
- leave something undecided or unsettled
Whether or not they will be leaving next year was left hanging in the air at the end of the meeting.
leave (something) on
- leave something running or operating
I always leave the lights on when I am working around the house.
leave (something) open
- leave a date or time unscheduled
I plan to leave next Wednesday open so that I can meet my friend for lunch.
leave (something) out
- omit something
He told me about the accident but he left out some of the main points.
leave/let well enough alone
- be satisfied with something that is good enough
"You should leave well enough alone and be happy with your work schedule the way it is."
leave word with (someone)
- leave a message with someone
I left word with my father to have my mother phone me tonight.
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a left-handed compliment
- an ambiguous compliment interpreted as offensive
He gave her a left-handed compliment when he said that her dyed hair looked nice.
a leg man
- someone who performs messenger services, an errand boy
He was working as a leg man for the motion picture company.
not have a leg to stand on
- not have a firm foundation of facts, not have the facts to support one`s claims
She doesn`t have a leg to stand on with her excuses for not finishing her work.
leg work
- routine work (that often involves walking)
He was forced to do all of the leg work for the meeting because his assistant was sick.
lend an ear (to someone)
- listen to someone
I was asked to lend an ear to my friend so he could tell me about his problems.
lend color to (something)
- provide an interesting accompaniment for something
The beautiful background to the orchestra helped to lend color to the musical performance.
lend (oneself/itself) to (something)
- be adaptable to something
The small hall does not lend itself to having a very good musical performance.
lend (someone) a hand
- give someone some help
I asked my friend to lend me a hand to move the furniture.
less than pleased
- not pleased
My father was less than pleased when I returned his car three hours late last night.
lesser (of the two)
- the smaller one of the two
We chose the lesser of the two cars when we went to the car rental agency.
lesser of two evils
- the less bad thing of two bad things
The voters had to choose the lesser of two evils when they had to choose between the two candidates for mayor.
let Idioms let alone (something)
- not to mention something, to say nothing of something
I don`t have enough money to go to a movie let alone go on a holiday.
let bygones be bygones
- forget about problems that happened in the past
"We need to let bygones be bygones and forget about our past differences."
let down one`s hair
- relax, act freely and naturally
Everybody at the party let down their hair and had a good time.
let go of (something)
- release something
He let go of the rope and the suitcase fell off the luggage rack.
let go with (something)
- shout something out
The child let go with a loud scream when he saw the dog.
let grass grow under one`s feet
- be idle, be lazy, waste time
He is always working hard and never lets grass grow under his feet.
let it all hang out
- let the truth be known, be open about something
She decided to let it all hang out and tell her friend about her problems with her boyfriend.
let it go/lay
- forget about it, leave it alone
"You should let it go and stop worrying about what she did to you last year."
let it rip
- let something go at full speed, take off all restraints
He let it rip and left the shore in the motorboat.
let off steam
- get rid of your extra energy or strong feelings by doing some activity
He was very angry at first but he has let off steam and has calmed down now.
let on
- to reveal, to inform
"Please don`t let on that you saw me at the movie last night."
let on
- try to make people believe something, pretend
He tried to let on that he didn`t want the job but actually he did.
let one's emotions show
- be emotional (where it is not appropriate)
The mayor let his emotions show when his plan for the new stadium was defeated by the city council members.
let oneself go
- become less constrained
I went to the party and let myself go for the evening.
let oneself/something go
- not take care of oneself/something
The woman has been letting herself go recently and doesn't even bother to comb her hair regularly
let out (clothes/a rope)
- make clothes longer or looser, allow a rope to slip out little by little
I had to go to the tailors to have them let out my sports jacket.
We let out the rope as the boat left the shore.
let out (some kind of sound)
- make some kind of noise or sound
The dog let out a strange sound before running out of the house.
let out (someone)
- dismiss or be dismissed (from class or practice etc.)
Everyone was let out of class early yesterday because of the bad weather.
let out (something)
- allow to go out or escape
I let out our dog this morning and he hasn`t come home yet.
let out (something)
- allow to be known, tell
They let out the details of the restructuring plan late last night so we haven`t had time to talk about them yet.
let sleeping dogs lie
- don`t make trouble if you don`t have to
"You should let sleeping dogs lie and not worry about what your friend said to you last summer."
let (someone) down
- fail to do as well as expected, disappoint someone
He let his parents down when he failed the university entrance exams.
let (someone) down easy
- tell someone some disappointing news in a way that makes them feel good
I will talk to her tomorrow and try and let her down easy about her not getting the promotion.
let (someone) go
- discharge someone from a job, fire someone
The company has decided to let several hundred workers go in order to become profitable again.
let (someone) have it
- hit someone hard, scold someone angrily
He let the other man have it when they had a fight on the bus.
let (someone) have it (with both barrels)
- attack someone verbally
The woman let her husband have it when he came home late from work without phoning.
let (someone) in on (something)
- tell someone a secret
We let our friend in on our secret plan to sell our apartment and buy a house.
let (someone) know (about something)
- tell/inform someone about something
"Let me know when you are ready to go to the movie."
let (someone) off
- permit someone to leave a car/train/boat/plane or other transportation
The train stopped at a very small town and let the young woman off.
let (someone) off (easy)
- release someone with little or no punishment
The judge let the man off easy because he seemed to be sincere in his apology for his crime.
let (someone) off the hook
- excuse someone from a penalty or promise
He let me off the hook and I didn`t have to stay after work and help clean the office.
let (something) go
- pay no attention to something, neglect something
She seems to be letting her appearance go since she lost her job.
let (something) go
- allow something to pass, do nothing about something
Although I was angry at his remark I decided to let it go.
let (something) loose
- set something free, release something being held
They decided to let the injured bird loose in the park.
let (something) off
- discharge (a gun), explode something, release something
The children let off many firecrackers during the festival.
let (something) pass
- let something go unnoticed or unchallenged
I didn't like what my friend said to me but I decided to let it pass.
let (something) ride
- continue without changing a situation
We should forget about the recent problems at work and let the whole matter ride.
let (something) slide
- neglect something
Recently, I have been very busy and I have let some important work slide.
let (something) slide by
- forget or miss an important time or date
I let my girlfriend's birthday slide by without noticing it.
let (something) slip by
- forget or miss an important time or date
We let my parent's wedding anniversary slip by without doing anything at all.
let (something) slip (out)
- tell a secret by accident
I let the date of the wedding slip out by mistake at the dinner party.
let the cat out of the bag
- reveal a secret
"Don`t let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party for our boss."
let the chance slip by
- lose the opportunity for something
My coworker let the chance slip by to learn a lot from his old job.
let the chips fall where they may
- not worry about the results of your actions
I am not going to worry about whether the company will go bankrupt or not. I will let the chips fall where they may.
let things slide
- ignore the things that one is supposed to do
Recently, I have let things slide and my apartment is very messy.
let up
- become less or weaker, become slower or stop
The rain let up around noon so we were able to go back outside.
let up on (someone or something)
- stop working too hard, take the pressure off someone or something
He was told by his doctor to let up on his work schedule or he will become sick.
let well enough alone
- leave things as they are
I decided to let well enough alone and not ask my supervisor for extra time off.
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level (something) at (someone)
- direct something (a remark/criticism) at someone
My friend began to level criticism at her boss for some of the things that she thought were wrong in the company.
level with (someone)
- be honest with someone
I tried to level with my friend and tell her what I thought about her new hairstyle.
a license to (do something)
- the permission/right/chance to do something
When my uncle got the contract to sell food at the stadium it was a license to print money.
not a lick of work
- not even a small amount of work (usually used in the negative)
The children did not do a lick of work all morning when the teacher was away.
lick one's lips
- show eagerness or pleasure about a future event
I began to lick my lips when I heard about the chance to go on the training course.
lick/whip (something) into shape
- put someone or something into good condition
The young man joined the military and was quickly whipped into shape.
lie/lay down on the job
- do a job poorly or not at all
The workers must have decided to lie down on the job because nothing was finished when the supervisor arrived.
lie fallow
- remain unused (a field or land lies fallow)
The farmer let the field lie fallow for one growing season.
lie in state
- after death a famous person (usually a political leader) sometimes lies in a state of honor in an open coffin so the public can see his or her body
The President lay in state for three days after his death.
lie in wait
- watch from hiding in order to attack or surprise someone
The police decided to lie in wait for the bank robbers to appear at the bank.
lie low
- stay quietly out of sight, try not to attract attention
"The man is very angry at you so I think that you should lie low for a few days until he calms down."
lie through one's teeth
- tell lies
The woman will lie through her teeth in order to get what she wants.
life of Riley
- an easy life of luxury, a pleasant life
My father has been living the life of Riley since he retired from his job last year.
life of the party
- a person who is lively and helps make a party fun and exciting
My friend is the life of the party and everybody loves to see her.
not lift a finger/hand
- not do anything to help anyone
Although he is a nice person he will not lift a finger to help anyone else.
light into (someone)
- scold someone
The woman lit into her child when he came home from school late.
light into (something)
- devour/eat something
As soon as we arrived home we wanted to light into our dinner immediately.
light out (for somewhere)
- depart quickly for somewhere
We woke up early and prepared to light out for our first day of adventure.
light up
- suddenly look pleased and happy
As soon as I told my cousin about our holiday plans his face lit up and he started smiling.
like Idioms like a bat out of hell
- with great speed and force
The boy left the theater like a bat out of hell.
like a bolt out of the blue
- suddenly and without warning
It was like a bolt out of the blue when my father said that he was going to change jobs.
like a bump on a log
- unresponsive
The boy spent the morning at home like a bump on a log.
like a fish out of water
- appear to be completely out of place somewhere
I was like a fish out of water when I went to the party with my cousin.
like a house on fire
- rapidly and with force
We worked like a house on fire in order to finish our work before our vacation.
like a sitting duck
- unsuspecting and unaware
The robber was like a sitting duck when the police arrested him as he waited for his partner to leave the bank.
like a three-ring circus
- chaotic/exciting/busy
The shopping center was like a three-ring circus when we went shopping on Saturday afternoon.
like a ton of bricks
- strongly or forcefully, a surprise to someone
The news of his retirement hit me like a ton of bricks.
like an open book
- someone or something that is easy to understand
Our boss is like an open book and it is easy to know what he is thinking most of the time.
like crazy
- very fast, with great energy
They were running like crazy but still they couldn`t catch their friend.
like father, like son
- a son usually acts like his father
"Like father, like son," the man said as he watched the boy playing baseball exactly like his father.
like greased lightning
- very fast
The horse ran out of the barn and down the road like greased lightning.
like hell
- with much effort and energy, never, not permissable
I had to run like hell this morning in order to catch the bus for work.
"Like hell I am going to lend that woman any more money."
like it or lump it
- either accept something or forget it
I offered the woman a fair price for the TV and told her that she could either like it or lump it.
Like it's such a big deal!
- It really isn't so important
"Like it's such a big deal!", the boy said when he told his friend about his lost book.
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly do something without realizing the danger/difficulties of the situation
The local basketball team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best team in the country.
like looking for a needle in a haystack
- engaged in a hopeless search
Looking for my house keys at the beach was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
like mad
- very fast, with great energy
I worked like mad but I was unable to finish the project by noon as I had hoped.
like nothing on earth
- very unusual
The performance by our neighbor was like nothing on earth and surprised everyone who saw it.
like one of the family
- as if someone were a member of one's family
My sister's friend is like one of the family and we invite her to come with us wherever we go.
like/love to hear oneself talk
- enjoy talking rather than listening to other people
My friend likes to hear herself talk and it is very tiring to be around her.
like two peas in a pod
- very close or intimate
My two friends from school are like two peas in a pod and are always together.
like water off a duck`s back
- without effect, without changing one`s feelings or opinion
He always criticizes his friend but his friend ignores it so the criticism falls away like water off a duck`s back.
the likes of (someone)
- anyone like the person who you are talking about
I really don't enjoy spending time with the likes of my neighbor.
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line of least resistance
- a course of action that will cause the least trouble or effort
It was the line of least resistance so we moved out of our apartment quickly rather than have problems with the manager that we could never resolve.
line one's own pockets
- make money for oneself in a dishonest way
The local politician had been lining his own pockets and did not win another election.
line up
- take places in a line or formation, stand one behind another
We were forced to line up in front of the movie theater for over one hour.
line up (someone with someone)
- supply a person with a date/companion
We tried to line up my friend's sister with our friend but it was not a successful match.
line up (someone for something)
- arrange, schedule someone for something
We were unable to line up a speaker for Sunday evening so we must cancel the meeting.
line up (something with something)
- adjust two things correctly
The carpenter lined up the two pieces of wood before he nailed them together.
lion's share (of something)
- the larger share of something
I gave the lion's share of my old CD collection to my neighbor.
lip service
- support shown by words only and not by action
They paid lip service to the proposal but I don`t think that they really support it.
listen to reason
- yield to a reasonable argument
The woman would not listen to reason when she went to complain about the coat that she had bought.
litmus test
- a test that tries to determine the state of one important question
The judge's opinion about the tax issue was the litmus test that was used to see if he would be able to work with the government.
a little bird told me
- learned from a mysterious or secret source
A little bird told me that I would be getting a nice present from my boyfriend next week.
a little bit
- a small amount
I only had a little bit of time so I didn't talk to my mother about her recent problems.
little by little
- gradually
He broke his leg while skiing but little by little it is getting better.
a little frog in a big pond
- an unimportant person in a large group or organization
He transferred to the head office but he is a little frog in a big pond and nobody knows him now.
little pitchers have big ears
- little children often overhear things that they are not supposed to hear
"Little pitchers have big ears," the woman said when she saw her daughter standing at the door listening as she talked to her husband.
live a life of (something)
- have a life of a certain quality or style
My friend has been living a life of luxury since he won much money in the lottery.
live and learn
- increase one's knowledge by experience
I will have to live and learn and try not to eat so much food that I almost get sick.
live and let live
- not interfere with other people's business or preferences
Our neighbor believes that one should live and let live and she never complains or criticizes other people who live around her.
live beyond one's means
- spend more money than one can afford
The couple have been living beyond their means and are now in serious financial difficulty.
live by one's wits
- survive by being clever
The boy lives by his wits and never has any problems dealing with life.
live down (something)
- remove blame or distrust by good conduct, cause something to be forgiven by not repeating it
Our supervisor is trying to live down his reputation of being a hard person to work for.
live for the moment
- live without planning for the future
The young man lives for the moment and has no money saved for the future.
live from hand to mouth
- live on little money and in poor circumstances
Her brother is an artist and must live from hand to mouth because he has no money.
live happily ever after
- live in happiness after a specific event
It was a very beautiful movie and in the end everybody lived happily ever after.
live high on/off the hog
- live very luxuriously or comfortably
He has been living high on the hog since he won the money in the lottery.
live in
- live at the place where one works
The young woman got a job where she could live in with a family with three children.
live in an ivory tower
- be unaware of the realities of everyday life
The university professor lives in an ivory tower and does not seem to understand what is going on in the world.
live it up
- have a good time
He likes to live it up every weekend when he gets paid.
live off the fat of the land
- grow and live on one's own food
The early pioneers went to the mountain valley and were able to live off the fat of the land.
live on borrowed time
- continue to live/operate longer than circumstances would suggest
My old car has been living on borrowed time for a long time now.
live out of a suitcase
- stay away from your home while travelling with only the belongings in your suitcase
I dislike my job because I am often away from home and must live out of a suitcase.
live (something) down
- overcome the shame or embarrassment of something
It was difficult for the woman to live down the embarrassment and shame of the fact that she had stolen some money at her job.
live through (something)
- endure something
The people in the town lived through one of the worst disasters in many years.
live up to one's end of the bargain
- do as was promised in a bargain
The young boy did not live up to his end of the bargain when he did not make an effort to finish his homework before watching television.
live up to (something)
- act according to something, fulfill expectations
He is trying very hard to live up to his reputation as a smart busnessman.
live within one's means
- spend no more money than one has
The young couple work hard to live within their means and they always have lots of money to spend.
the living end
- great, fantastic, the ultimate
My sister said that her new boyfriend was the living end.
loaded
- have lots of money
My new boss is really loaded.
lock horns with (someone)
- get into an argument with someone
I locked horns with a woman who I work with and we had a big argument last week.
lock (something) in
- make something (such as a rate of interest) permanent over a period of time
We locked in the mortgage of our house for a period of five years because the interest rates were low.
lock, stock, and barrel
- everything
The small corner store went out of business and sold everything lock, stock, and barrel.
lock the barn door after the horse is stolen
- be careful or try to make something safe after it is too late
If you try and prevent a flood after the rains have started it is like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen.
lock (something) up
- to be assured of success
The candidate has already locked up the nomination to be a candidate in the next election.
long and the short of it
- all the facts, the whole story
I phoned my friend and he told me the long and the short of it regarding the reason why he got fired.
long face
- a sad look, a disappointed look
He had a long face when he came into work this morning. Something must have happened to him.
a long haul
- a long distance or trip
He is a long-haul trucker and is always out of town working.
the long haul
- a long period of time during which work continues or something is done
He has decided to stay here for the long haul and will not return to his home.
a long shot
- a bet or other risk taken though not likely to succeed
It was a long shot that he would get the job so he was very happy when he did get it.
look Idioms look a gift horse in the mouth
- complain if a gift is not perfect
"Even if you don`t like the present from your company you shouldn`t complain. Remember, don`t look a gift horse in the mouth."
look after (someone)
- take care or attend to someone
She has been looking after her mother since her mother's recent illness.
look at (someone) cross-eyed
- look at someone provocatively
When the man in the bus looked at the other man cross-eyed they seemed like they were going to have a fight.
look at the world through rose-colored glasses
- see only the good things about something, be too optimistic
I told my friend to be more realistic and not to always look at the world through rose-colored glasses.
look down on (someone or something)
- regard someone or something with contempt or a feeling of superiority
My cousin looks down on the activities and life of most small towns.
look down one`s nose at (someone or something)
- show your dislike of someone or something
He always looks down his nose at the other members of his class.
look for (something)
- try to find something, hunt/search for something
She has been looking for her credit card all morning but she can`t find it.
look for (something to happen)
- think/expect that something is likely to happen
They are looking for our manager to become the next sales director of the company.
look for trouble
- do something that may cause trouble
The young boys spend every Saturday evening walking around and looking for trouble.
look forward to (something)
- anticipate something with pleasure
We have been looking forward to the concert for a long time.
look good on paper
- something appears to be a good plan (but maybe not in actual practice)
My supervisor's plan looks good on paper but in reality I don't think that it will be successful.
look high and low for (someone or something)
- look carefully in every possible place for someone or something
We looked high and low for my grandmother's hearing aide but we could not find it.
look in on (someone)
- go to see someone, make a short visit to someone, make a call on someone to see if they are doing well
"Could you please look in on the baby and see if she is sleeping."
look into (something)
- investigate or check something
They have been looking into the cause of the accident for many months.
look like a million dollars
- look well and prosperous, appear healthy and happy
He looked like a million dollars when I saw him at the party last weekend.
look like death warmed over
- look very ill
The elderly man looked like death warmed over when he went to the hospital.
look like (something)
- to predict something
It looks like it is going to rain this evening.
look like something the cat dragged in
- look very shabby or worn
My friend looked like something the cat dragged in when he arrived home from work last night.
look like the cat that ate/swallowed the canary
- seem very self-satisified, look like you have just had some kind of success
He looked like the cat that ate the canary when he came in with a smile on his face after receiving his special bonus.
look on
- be a spectator
There were many people who gathered to look on after the car accident.
look on (someone) as (something)
- view or think of someone as something
Everybody in our neighborhood looks on my neighbor as someone to talk to if they have a problem.
look out
- take care, be careful, be on guard
"Look out! There is a large truck coming down the highway."
look out for (someone)
- provide protection and care for someone
"Please look out for my sister when she stays with you this summer."
look out for (someone or something)
- be alert or watchful, keep looking for something
"Could you please look out for any old vinyl records that you may find."
look over (something)
- inspect/survey/examine something
"Please take some time to look over these documents before you sign them."
look (someone) in the eye/face
- face someone directly
I looked the man in the eye when I asked him to move his car out of my way.
look (someone) up
- seek and find someone
When I was in New York City I looked up my friend from university.
look the other way
- ignore something
Our boss looks the other way when his staff are one or two minutes late.
look through (something)
- to search through something, to examine something with one's eyes
I looked through my desk for my house keys.
look through (something)
- to see through something like a window
I looked through the window at the beautiful sunset.
look to (someone)
- depend on someone, go to someone for help
My friend looks to his mother for help when he has a problem.
look to (something)
- attend to something, take care of something
She is a wonderful nurse and spends a great deal of time looking to the needs of her patients.
look up (something)
- to search for something in a dictionary or other book
I will look up my friend's name in the telephone book.
I looked up the word in the dictionary.
look up to (someone)
- think of someone as a good example to copy, respect someone
I look up to the president of our company as someone I would like to copy.
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loom large (on the horizon)
- something that could be coming as a possible problem/danger/threat
A large increase in transportation costs is looming large on the horizon.
loose ends
- details that are not settled, things that are not finished
I have many loose ends to deal with before I go on my holidays.
lord it over (someone)
- act as the superior and master of someone, be bossy over someone
She likes to lord it over the other members of the staff since she became a supervisor.
lose Idioms lose face
- be embarrassed or ashamed by an error or failure, lose dignity
Our boss lost face when his employees decided not to support him during the meeting.
lose ground
- go backward, become weaker, not improve
The government has been losing ground in their fight against inflation.
lose heart
- become discouraged
The girl has begun to lose heart in her efforts to learn the piano.
lose one's cool
- lose one's temper
The saleswoman lost her cool during a meeting with the chief supplier.
lose one's grip
- lose a secure grasp or hold of something
The rock climber lost his grip and fell off the side of the cliff.
lose one's grip
- lose control of a situation
I think that our boss is losing his grip in his ability to control the workplace.
lose one's head over (someone or something)
- become confused or overexcited about someone or something
The young woman lost her head when she discovered that she had won the swimming competition.
lose one`s marbles
- go crazy or act irrationally
The man seems to have lost his marbles and doesn`t make any sense at all.
lose one`s shirt
- lose a lot of money
I think that he is going to lose his shirt on the new business venture.
lose one`s temper
- become angry
He lost his temper when the child broke the expensive dish.
lose one's touch (with someone or something)
- lose one's ability to handle someone or something
I think that the horse trainer is losing her touch with the horses that she is training.
lose one's train of thought
- forget what one was talking or thinking about
I lost my train of thought when I was talking on the telephone to my friend.
lose one`s way
- become lost
The first time that she went to London she lost her way.
lose oneself (in something)
- become deeply involved in something
The violin player always loses herself in her music when she is giving a concert.
lose out on (something)
- fail to get or take part in something
He lost out on a chance to go to Mexico City because he was too busy with other things.
lose out to (someone or something)
- fail to win, miss first place in a contest
Our team lost out to the other team in the soccer tournament.
lose sight of (something)
- forget something, fail to see something
"Don't lose sight of the main reason that you are planning to take the class."
lose sleep over (someone or something)
- worry about someone or something so that you cannot sleep
I have been losing sleep over my inability to solve my recent problems at work.
lose touch with (someone)
- fail to keep in contact or communication with someone
I lost touch with the people who I worked with at my summer job.
lose track of (someone or something)
- lose contact with someone or something
I have lost track of many of my friends from high school.
lose weight
- to decrease one's weight
I want to lose weight so I have stopped eating sweets.
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lost-and-found
- a place that handles lost items that other people find
I went to the lost-and-found department at the train station to look for my umbrella.
lost and gone forever
- permanently lost
My father's pocket knife is lost and gone forever and we will probably never see it again.
a lost cause
- a hopeless matter
Trying to change the work habits of our secretary is a lost cause. She will never change.
lost in thought
- busy thinking
I was lost in thought when my friend phoned me last night.
lost on (someone)
- wasted or having no effect on someone
My attempt at telling a joke was lost on my former girlfriend.
loud and clear
- clear and distinct
I could hear the announcement loud and clear.
a loudmouth
- a noisy, boastful or foolish talker
He is a loudmouth and nobody likes him.
louse up
- throw into confusion, make a mess of something, spoil something
She loused up her job interview and has no chance to get the job now.
lousy with (something)
- something is in abundance, many/much of something
The hotel room was lousy with cockroaches.
love at first sight
- love from the first time that two people see each other
It was love at first sight when the young couple met at the photography class.
lovely weather for ducks
- rainy weather
"Lovely weather for ducks," I said when I met my neighbor walking in the rain.
lover`s lane
- a hidden road or walkway where lovers walk or park their cars in the evening
After the movie we drove to the local lover`s lane.
low man on the totem pole
- the least important person
I am the low man on the totem pole in our company and I have no power at all.
the lowdown
- the inside facts of a matter, the total truth
I met with the speaker after the presentation and he gave me the lowdown on the new computer equipment.
lower one's sights
- set one's goals lower than they were
My cousin did not graduate from university and will have to lower his sights when he begins to look for a job.
lower one's voice
- speak more softly
The usher in the movie theater asked me to lower my voice.
lower oneself to (some level)
- bring oneself down to a lower level of behavior
I do not want to lower myself to the same level as my very incompetent supervisor.
lower the boom on (someone)
- scold or punish someone severely
Our teacher lowered the boom on the students who were late with their homework.
luck out
- to suddenly get lucky even though it looks like you won`t succeed
He lucked out with the concert tickets and was able to buy four of them.
one's lucky stars
- a certain star or planet which is thought to bring a person good luck and success in life
You can count your lucky stars that you don`t have to work on a rainy day like today. lull before the storm
- a quiet period just before a period of great activity or excitement
It was the lull before the storm when the school principal walked into the assembly hall to speak to the students about the new policy.
lull (someone) into a false sense of security
- lead someone to believe that all is well before attacking them
The residents of the small community were lulled into a false sense of security when there were no crimes for several years.
lull (someone) to sleep
- cause someone to fall asleep
The mother spent a long time trying to lull her young baby to sleep.
lunatic fringe
- the more extreme members of a group
A small lunatic fringe of protesters caused many problems at the convention.
- something done for personal pleasure and not for money
The man's book is a labor of love and he doesn`t expect to make any money from it.
lace into (someone)
- attack or scold someone
The mother laced into her child when he came home late from the movie.
lace into (something)
- devour/eat food
We laced into our dinner as soon as we entered the house.
lady killer
- a man who some women find very charming and attractive
The man in the movie was a lady killer who broke the hearts of many women.
lady`s man
- a man who is popular with women
He is a lady`s man and always seems to have a woman interested in him.
laid-back
- relaxed, not worried by things
Our teacher has a very laid-back attitude about how long we should spend preparing for our class.
be laid up
- be confined to bed or unfit for work
He has been laid up for a few days because of a cold.
a lame duck
- a public official who has a short time left to serve in office and therefore has less power than before
He was a lame-duck leader so it was difficult for him to accomplish some things.
land of Nod
- sleep
I entered the land of Nod as soon as my head hit the pillow.
land on one`s feet/both feet
- come out of a bad situation successfully
My friend always manages to land on his feet no matter how difficult the situation is.
land up (somewhere or in some situation)
- come to be in a certain place or situation
We landed up in the suburbs although we were trying to go downtown.
landslide victory
- a very substantial victory (usually in an election)
My favorite candidate won a landslide victory in the election.
lap up (something)
- to eat or drink something with the tongue (as a dog or cat would)
The dog lapped up the milk that his owner had given him.
lap up (something)
- eagerly take in or accept some information/praise
He lapped up the praise that his boss gave him for the recently completed project.
lapse into a coma
- go into a coma
The woman lapsed into a coma soon after the accident.
lash out (at someone)
- attack someone with words
They were walking along the beach when the girl suddenly lashed out in anger at her boyfriend.
lash out (at someone)
- suddenly try to hit someone
The boy suddenly lashed out and hit the man who was sitting beside him.
last but not least
- in the last place but not the least important
Last but not least the boy came up to the front of the class to receive his report card.
a last-ditch effort
- a final effort
The government made a last-ditch effort to prevent a strike by the teachers.
the last person
- the most unlikely person to do something or to be seen somewhere
My friend is the last person that you would expect to see in a clothing store buying clothes.
the last straw
- the last insult or mistake that one can endure and which then causes some reaction
The fourth time that the girl came to work late was the last straw and we finally fired her.
last will and testament
- one's will (especially its latest version)
After my grandfather's funeral my uncle read out his last will and testament.
the last word
- the last remark in an argument, the final say in deciding something
She always expects to have the last word when she and her husband go shopping together.
late in life
- when one is older
Some very great painters never started painting until rather late in life.
late in the day
- far along in a project or activity
We received some new instructions for our marketing effort but it was a little late in the day to change our plans.
laugh all the way to the bank
- make money in a way that other people think is impossible
I was laughing all the way to the bank with the money that I made from selling drinks at the sports stadium.
laugh off (something)
- to not take something seriously
The man laughed off the attempt by his boss to make him come to work on time.
laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
- change from being happy to being sad
My friend was laughing out of the other side of his mouth when he learned that he would get a ticket for parking his car in the wrong place.
laugh (something) out of court
- dismiss (a legal case) as being ridiculous
They laughed the case out of court when the woman tried to sue the dog's owner after the dog ate her flowers.
laugh up one's sleeve
- laugh quietly to oneself
I was laughing up my sleeve when I learned that my friend would have to clean the bathroom at work and not me.
launch forth (on something)
- start out on something
Our boss launched forth on a long criticism of how we were doing our jobs.
a law unto oneself
- one who makes one's own laws or rules
The city council member thought that she was a law unto herself until she resigned because of a scandal.
lay Idioms not lay a finger/hand on (someone)
- not touch someone, not do something to someone
The man was told by the police never to lay a finger on his wife again.
lay an egg
- fail to win the interest or favor of an audience
Although the magician was supposed to be good, his performance was terrible and it laid an egg with the audience.
lay away (something)
- save something
The couple are trying to lay away some money for their holiday next year.
lay down one's life (for someone or something)
- sacrifice one's life for someone or something
The young man layed down his life trying to protect the property of his company.
lay down the law
- tell someone what to do by using your power or influence
The new manager plans to lay down the law to the workers regarding long lunch breaks.
lay eyes on (someone or something)
- see someone or something
I have never laid eyes on a more beautiful dog in my life.
lay hold of (something)
- get possession of something
If I can lay hold of some tools I will help you fix your toilet.
lay in (something)
- store up a supply of something, get and store something for future use
They are trying to lay in as much food as possible before winter comes.
lay/light into (someone)
- attack someone with words
As soon as I came into work this morning my boss laid/lit into me about my poor sales performance last month.
lay/light into (something)
- do/eat something with much energy and enthusiasm
He laid into the steak as soon as the waiter brought it to his table.
lay it on thick
- praise someone too much
My friend began to lay it on thick when I told him about my new job.
lay low
- to hide, to keep out of sight for a period of time
He decided to lay low until his friend forgot that he had damaged his car.
the lay of the land
- the features of an area of land or of an organization
We checked out the lay of the land before we put up our tent and made a camping site.
lay off (someone)
- stop bothering someone, leave someone alone
The coach told the players to lay off the new player so that he could relax before the game.
lay off (something)
- stop using or taking something bad (alcohol/drugs/chocolate/cigarettes)
I was told by my doctor to lay off smoking or I would be sick in the future.
lay off (workers/staff)
- reduce the number of workers when business is bad
Six hundred workers at the automobile factory were recently laid off.
lay one`s cards on the table
- let someone know one`s position and feelings openly, deal honestly with something
He decided to lay his cards on the table and tell his boss about the job offer from the other company.
lay one's hands on (someone)
- do violence to someone, harm/hurt someone
The man said that if he ever lays hands on the person who stole his car he will take him directly to the police.
lay one's hands on (something)
- find something, acquire something
If I can lay my hands on a slide projector, I will show you the pictures of my holiday tonight.
lay out (money)
- spend or pay some money
My friend will have to lay out a lot of money for his new apartment.
lay out (something)
- plan something
We will lay out our plan for the new building at the next meeting.
to lay over
- to arrive somewhere and wait some time before continuing a journey
We were told that we will have to lay over in London for nine hours before we go on to Kenya.
lay (someone) to rest
- to bury someone
We laid my uncle to rest in a nice ceremony last night.
lay (something) on (someone)
- direct blame or guilt on someone
The company tried to lay the computer problems on one of the managers.
lay (something) on the line
- speak directly and firmly about something
The librarian finally had to lay it on the line and told everyone not to bring drinks into the library.
lay (something) to rest
- to put an end to a rumor, to finish dealing with a problem and forget about it
We want to lay to rest the rumors about the financial problems in the company.
lay the blame on (someone or something)
- blame someone or something
We laid the blame on my friend for making us late for the concert.
lay the groundwork for (something)
- to build the foundation or basis of something, to do the basic work that will lead to future success
The new training program will lay the groundwork for the future success of the company.
lay up (a vessel)
- take a vessel out of active service, put a boat in a boat dock or a garage
The weather was getting cold so they decided to lay up their boat for the winter.
lay up (something)
- collect a supply of something, save something for future use, store something
We are planning to lay up some canned fruit for the winter.
lay waste (to something)
- destroy and leave something in ruins, wreck something
The army troops laid waste to the enemy territory.
.
layaway plan
- a plan in which someone pays part of some money that is owed and then pays the rest later and the store keeps the item until the full price has been paid
I decided to buy the television set on the department store`s layaway plan.
lead Idioms lead a dog`s life
- live a hard life, work hard and be treated unkindly
He says that he has been leading a dog`s life since he started his new job.
lead off
- begin, start, open
The golfer was the first to lead off in the tournament.
lead (someone) by the nose
- have full control of someone, make or persuade someone to do what you want
He isn`t very aggressive and always lets his boss lead him by the nose.
lead (someone) down the garden path
- deceive someone
The woman was leading her boyfriend down the garden path when she promised to marry him.
lead (someone) on
- insincerely encourage someone
I think my friend was leading me on when he told me about the new job.
lead (someone) on a merry chase
- lead someone on a chase with no purpose
The criminal led the police on a merry chase before they finally arrested him.
lead (someone) to believe (something)
- imply something to someone
The salesman led me to believe that he would be able to deliver the product within a week.
lead (someone) to do (something)
- cause someone to do something
The loud scream from the dining room led the chef to ruin his main dish of the evening.
lead/live the life of Riley
- live an easy life of luxury, live a pleasant life
My father has been leading the life of Riley since he retired from his job.
lead the way
- go first and show others how to go somewhere, guide someone
I had to lead the way because nobody knew where the new office was located.
lead up to (something)
- prepare the way for something
The concerts in the park were leading up to the final band contest of the music festival.
.
a leading question
- a question that suggests the kind of answer that you want to hear
The lawyer asked the man a leading question when he asked him why he had lied about the money. He had never lied about money.
leaf through (something)
- look through a book/magazine/newspaper without reading it in detail
I leafed through several magazines while I was sitting in the doctor's office.
leak out (something)
- disclose special/secret information to the press
The information about the illegal donations were leaked out to the press.
lean on (someone)
- pressure someone by blackmail or threats of physical violence to make him or her do something
The gang decided to lean on the small shop owner to get him to sell his property.
lean over backwards (to do something or to help someone)
- do everything possible to please someone
My cousin leaned over backwards to help my father when he was sick.
lean toward (doing something)
- tend toward doing something
At the moment we are leaning toward buying a laptop computer rather than a desktop computer.
leap to conclusions
- decide something without having all the facts
Our teacher leaped to conclusions when she accused the boy of breaking the window.
learn (something) by heart
- memorize something
I quickly learned my library card number by heart.
learn (something) by rote
- memorize something without thinking about what is being learned
The children learned the material by rote but they didn't really understand it.
learn (something) from the bottom up
- learn something thoroughly from the beginning
The young man learned about the company from the bottom up before his father retired.
learn (something) the hard way
- learn something by experience (often something unpleasant)
The young man learned things the hard way when he was sent to jail for stealing the computer.
learn the ropes
- learn how to do a job
He is a new employee and is still learning the ropes.
learn to live with (something)
- learn to adapt to something unpleasant or painful
My mother and father must learn to live with not having a supermarket next door to them.
least of all
- the least, of smallest importance
I don't like any of the choices offered, least of all the one that we were forced to choose.
leave Idioms leave a bad taste in one`s mouth
- leave a bad impression, make one feel disgusted
The way that the company fired the workers left a bad taste in everyone`s mouth.
leave a lot to be desired
- be inadequate
The job performance of the new employee leaves a lot to be desired.
leave no stone unturned
- try in every way to do something, do everything possible
The police left no stone unturned when they were looking for the little girl who was lost.
leave one to one's fate
- abandon someone to whatever may happen
The tour was suddenly canceled and we were left to our fate regarding an attempt to get our money refunded.
leave one's mark on (someone or something)
- affect the behavior and performance of another person or of something
The former president left his mark on the way that the company was run for many years after he retired.
leave oneself wide open for (something)
- fail to protect oneself from criticism or ridicule
The actions of our manager left him wide open for criticism from everybody in our company.
leave (someone) alone
- to not disturb someone
"Please leave me alone so I can finish this essay."
leave (someone or something) behind
- leave someone or something somewhere
I left my coat behind in the restaurant.
leave (someone) flat
- fail to entertain or stimulate someone, leave someone with no money
My friend's attempt at making a joke left everyone in the room flat.
leave (someone) for dead
- abandon someone as being dead
The hiker was left for dead when the rescue group could find no indication of where he was.
leave (someone) high and dry
- leave someone helpless
The employees were left high and dry when the company went out of business.
leave (someone) holding the bag
- leave someone to take the blame for something
My friend left me holding the bag when he ran away from the accident.
leave (someone or something) in (someone's) hands
- give someone control of or responsibility for someone or something
I left the planning for the barbecue in my father's hands.
leave (someone) in peace
- stop bothering someone
The woman was happy when her family went out and left her in peace for several hours.
leave (someone) in the lurch
- desert or leave someone alone and in trouble, refuse to help or support someone
My coworker left me in the lurch when he didn`t come and help me as he had promised earlier in the day.
leave (someone) out in the cold
- exclude someone
We made an effort not to leave my friend out in the cold when we were planning the birthday party.
leave (something) hanging (in the air)
- leave something undecided or unsettled
Whether or not they will be leaving next year was left hanging in the air at the end of the meeting.
leave (something) on
- leave something running or operating
I always leave the lights on when I am working around the house.
leave (something) open
- leave a date or time unscheduled
I plan to leave next Wednesday open so that I can meet my friend for lunch.
leave (something) out
- omit something
He told me about the accident but he left out some of the main points.
leave/let well enough alone
- be satisfied with something that is good enough
"You should leave well enough alone and be happy with your work schedule the way it is."
leave word with (someone)
- leave a message with someone
I left word with my father to have my mother phone me tonight.
.
a left-handed compliment
- an ambiguous compliment interpreted as offensive
He gave her a left-handed compliment when he said that her dyed hair looked nice.
a leg man
- someone who performs messenger services, an errand boy
He was working as a leg man for the motion picture company.
not have a leg to stand on
- not have a firm foundation of facts, not have the facts to support one`s claims
She doesn`t have a leg to stand on with her excuses for not finishing her work.
leg work
- routine work (that often involves walking)
He was forced to do all of the leg work for the meeting because his assistant was sick.
lend an ear (to someone)
- listen to someone
I was asked to lend an ear to my friend so he could tell me about his problems.
lend color to (something)
- provide an interesting accompaniment for something
The beautiful background to the orchestra helped to lend color to the musical performance.
lend (oneself/itself) to (something)
- be adaptable to something
The small hall does not lend itself to having a very good musical performance.
lend (someone) a hand
- give someone some help
I asked my friend to lend me a hand to move the furniture.
less than pleased
- not pleased
My father was less than pleased when I returned his car three hours late last night.
lesser (of the two)
- the smaller one of the two
We chose the lesser of the two cars when we went to the car rental agency.
lesser of two evils
- the less bad thing of two bad things
The voters had to choose the lesser of two evils when they had to choose between the two candidates for mayor.
let Idioms let alone (something)
- not to mention something, to say nothing of something
I don`t have enough money to go to a movie let alone go on a holiday.
let bygones be bygones
- forget about problems that happened in the past
"We need to let bygones be bygones and forget about our past differences."
let down one`s hair
- relax, act freely and naturally
Everybody at the party let down their hair and had a good time.
let go of (something)
- release something
He let go of the rope and the suitcase fell off the luggage rack.
let go with (something)
- shout something out
The child let go with a loud scream when he saw the dog.
let grass grow under one`s feet
- be idle, be lazy, waste time
He is always working hard and never lets grass grow under his feet.
let it all hang out
- let the truth be known, be open about something
She decided to let it all hang out and tell her friend about her problems with her boyfriend.
let it go/lay
- forget about it, leave it alone
"You should let it go and stop worrying about what she did to you last year."
let it rip
- let something go at full speed, take off all restraints
He let it rip and left the shore in the motorboat.
let off steam
- get rid of your extra energy or strong feelings by doing some activity
He was very angry at first but he has let off steam and has calmed down now.
let on
- to reveal, to inform
"Please don`t let on that you saw me at the movie last night."
let on
- try to make people believe something, pretend
He tried to let on that he didn`t want the job but actually he did.
let one's emotions show
- be emotional (where it is not appropriate)
The mayor let his emotions show when his plan for the new stadium was defeated by the city council members.
let oneself go
- become less constrained
I went to the party and let myself go for the evening.
let oneself/something go
- not take care of oneself/something
The woman has been letting herself go recently and doesn't even bother to comb her hair regularly
let out (clothes/a rope)
- make clothes longer or looser, allow a rope to slip out little by little
I had to go to the tailors to have them let out my sports jacket.
We let out the rope as the boat left the shore.
let out (some kind of sound)
- make some kind of noise or sound
The dog let out a strange sound before running out of the house.
let out (someone)
- dismiss or be dismissed (from class or practice etc.)
Everyone was let out of class early yesterday because of the bad weather.
let out (something)
- allow to go out or escape
I let out our dog this morning and he hasn`t come home yet.
let out (something)
- allow to be known, tell
They let out the details of the restructuring plan late last night so we haven`t had time to talk about them yet.
let sleeping dogs lie
- don`t make trouble if you don`t have to
"You should let sleeping dogs lie and not worry about what your friend said to you last summer."
let (someone) down
- fail to do as well as expected, disappoint someone
He let his parents down when he failed the university entrance exams.
let (someone) down easy
- tell someone some disappointing news in a way that makes them feel good
I will talk to her tomorrow and try and let her down easy about her not getting the promotion.
let (someone) go
- discharge someone from a job, fire someone
The company has decided to let several hundred workers go in order to become profitable again.
let (someone) have it
- hit someone hard, scold someone angrily
He let the other man have it when they had a fight on the bus.
let (someone) have it (with both barrels)
- attack someone verbally
The woman let her husband have it when he came home late from work without phoning.
let (someone) in on (something)
- tell someone a secret
We let our friend in on our secret plan to sell our apartment and buy a house.
let (someone) know (about something)
- tell/inform someone about something
"Let me know when you are ready to go to the movie."
let (someone) off
- permit someone to leave a car/train/boat/plane or other transportation
The train stopped at a very small town and let the young woman off.
let (someone) off (easy)
- release someone with little or no punishment
The judge let the man off easy because he seemed to be sincere in his apology for his crime.
let (someone) off the hook
- excuse someone from a penalty or promise
He let me off the hook and I didn`t have to stay after work and help clean the office.
let (something) go
- pay no attention to something, neglect something
She seems to be letting her appearance go since she lost her job.
let (something) go
- allow something to pass, do nothing about something
Although I was angry at his remark I decided to let it go.
let (something) loose
- set something free, release something being held
They decided to let the injured bird loose in the park.
let (something) off
- discharge (a gun), explode something, release something
The children let off many firecrackers during the festival.
let (something) pass
- let something go unnoticed or unchallenged
I didn't like what my friend said to me but I decided to let it pass.
let (something) ride
- continue without changing a situation
We should forget about the recent problems at work and let the whole matter ride.
let (something) slide
- neglect something
Recently, I have been very busy and I have let some important work slide.
let (something) slide by
- forget or miss an important time or date
I let my girlfriend's birthday slide by without noticing it.
let (something) slip by
- forget or miss an important time or date
We let my parent's wedding anniversary slip by without doing anything at all.
let (something) slip (out)
- tell a secret by accident
I let the date of the wedding slip out by mistake at the dinner party.
let the cat out of the bag
- reveal a secret
"Don`t let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party for our boss."
let the chance slip by
- lose the opportunity for something
My coworker let the chance slip by to learn a lot from his old job.
let the chips fall where they may
- not worry about the results of your actions
I am not going to worry about whether the company will go bankrupt or not. I will let the chips fall where they may.
let things slide
- ignore the things that one is supposed to do
Recently, I have let things slide and my apartment is very messy.
let up
- become less or weaker, become slower or stop
The rain let up around noon so we were able to go back outside.
let up on (someone or something)
- stop working too hard, take the pressure off someone or something
He was told by his doctor to let up on his work schedule or he will become sick.
let well enough alone
- leave things as they are
I decided to let well enough alone and not ask my supervisor for extra time off.
.
level (something) at (someone)
- direct something (a remark/criticism) at someone
My friend began to level criticism at her boss for some of the things that she thought were wrong in the company.
level with (someone)
- be honest with someone
I tried to level with my friend and tell her what I thought about her new hairstyle.
a license to (do something)
- the permission/right/chance to do something
When my uncle got the contract to sell food at the stadium it was a license to print money.
not a lick of work
- not even a small amount of work (usually used in the negative)
The children did not do a lick of work all morning when the teacher was away.
lick one's lips
- show eagerness or pleasure about a future event
I began to lick my lips when I heard about the chance to go on the training course.
lick/whip (something) into shape
- put someone or something into good condition
The young man joined the military and was quickly whipped into shape.
lie/lay down on the job
- do a job poorly or not at all
The workers must have decided to lie down on the job because nothing was finished when the supervisor arrived.
lie fallow
- remain unused (a field or land lies fallow)
The farmer let the field lie fallow for one growing season.
lie in state
- after death a famous person (usually a political leader) sometimes lies in a state of honor in an open coffin so the public can see his or her body
The President lay in state for three days after his death.
lie in wait
- watch from hiding in order to attack or surprise someone
The police decided to lie in wait for the bank robbers to appear at the bank.
lie low
- stay quietly out of sight, try not to attract attention
"The man is very angry at you so I think that you should lie low for a few days until he calms down."
lie through one's teeth
- tell lies
The woman will lie through her teeth in order to get what she wants.
life of Riley
- an easy life of luxury, a pleasant life
My father has been living the life of Riley since he retired from his job last year.
life of the party
- a person who is lively and helps make a party fun and exciting
My friend is the life of the party and everybody loves to see her.
not lift a finger/hand
- not do anything to help anyone
Although he is a nice person he will not lift a finger to help anyone else.
light into (someone)
- scold someone
The woman lit into her child when he came home from school late.
light into (something)
- devour/eat something
As soon as we arrived home we wanted to light into our dinner immediately.
light out (for somewhere)
- depart quickly for somewhere
We woke up early and prepared to light out for our first day of adventure.
light up
- suddenly look pleased and happy
As soon as I told my cousin about our holiday plans his face lit up and he started smiling.
like Idioms like a bat out of hell
- with great speed and force
The boy left the theater like a bat out of hell.
like a bolt out of the blue
- suddenly and without warning
It was like a bolt out of the blue when my father said that he was going to change jobs.
like a bump on a log
- unresponsive
The boy spent the morning at home like a bump on a log.
like a fish out of water
- appear to be completely out of place somewhere
I was like a fish out of water when I went to the party with my cousin.
like a house on fire
- rapidly and with force
We worked like a house on fire in order to finish our work before our vacation.
like a sitting duck
- unsuspecting and unaware
The robber was like a sitting duck when the police arrested him as he waited for his partner to leave the bank.
like a three-ring circus
- chaotic/exciting/busy
The shopping center was like a three-ring circus when we went shopping on Saturday afternoon.
like a ton of bricks
- strongly or forcefully, a surprise to someone
The news of his retirement hit me like a ton of bricks.
like an open book
- someone or something that is easy to understand
Our boss is like an open book and it is easy to know what he is thinking most of the time.
like crazy
- very fast, with great energy
They were running like crazy but still they couldn`t catch their friend.
like father, like son
- a son usually acts like his father
"Like father, like son," the man said as he watched the boy playing baseball exactly like his father.
like greased lightning
- very fast
The horse ran out of the barn and down the road like greased lightning.
like hell
- with much effort and energy, never, not permissable
I had to run like hell this morning in order to catch the bus for work.
"Like hell I am going to lend that woman any more money."
like it or lump it
- either accept something or forget it
I offered the woman a fair price for the TV and told her that she could either like it or lump it.
Like it's such a big deal!
- It really isn't so important
"Like it's such a big deal!", the boy said when he told his friend about his lost book.
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly do something without realizing the danger/difficulties of the situation
The local basketball team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best team in the country.
like looking for a needle in a haystack
- engaged in a hopeless search
Looking for my house keys at the beach was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
like mad
- very fast, with great energy
I worked like mad but I was unable to finish the project by noon as I had hoped.
like nothing on earth
- very unusual
The performance by our neighbor was like nothing on earth and surprised everyone who saw it.
like one of the family
- as if someone were a member of one's family
My sister's friend is like one of the family and we invite her to come with us wherever we go.
like/love to hear oneself talk
- enjoy talking rather than listening to other people
My friend likes to hear herself talk and it is very tiring to be around her.
like two peas in a pod
- very close or intimate
My two friends from school are like two peas in a pod and are always together.
like water off a duck`s back
- without effect, without changing one`s feelings or opinion
He always criticizes his friend but his friend ignores it so the criticism falls away like water off a duck`s back.
the likes of (someone)
- anyone like the person who you are talking about
I really don't enjoy spending time with the likes of my neighbor.
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line of least resistance
- a course of action that will cause the least trouble or effort
It was the line of least resistance so we moved out of our apartment quickly rather than have problems with the manager that we could never resolve.
line one's own pockets
- make money for oneself in a dishonest way
The local politician had been lining his own pockets and did not win another election.
line up
- take places in a line or formation, stand one behind another
We were forced to line up in front of the movie theater for over one hour.
line up (someone with someone)
- supply a person with a date/companion
We tried to line up my friend's sister with our friend but it was not a successful match.
line up (someone for something)
- arrange, schedule someone for something
We were unable to line up a speaker for Sunday evening so we must cancel the meeting.
line up (something with something)
- adjust two things correctly
The carpenter lined up the two pieces of wood before he nailed them together.
lion's share (of something)
- the larger share of something
I gave the lion's share of my old CD collection to my neighbor.
lip service
- support shown by words only and not by action
They paid lip service to the proposal but I don`t think that they really support it.
listen to reason
- yield to a reasonable argument
The woman would not listen to reason when she went to complain about the coat that she had bought.
litmus test
- a test that tries to determine the state of one important question
The judge's opinion about the tax issue was the litmus test that was used to see if he would be able to work with the government.
a little bird told me
- learned from a mysterious or secret source
A little bird told me that I would be getting a nice present from my boyfriend next week.
a little bit
- a small amount
I only had a little bit of time so I didn't talk to my mother about her recent problems.
little by little
- gradually
He broke his leg while skiing but little by little it is getting better.
a little frog in a big pond
- an unimportant person in a large group or organization
He transferred to the head office but he is a little frog in a big pond and nobody knows him now.
little pitchers have big ears
- little children often overhear things that they are not supposed to hear
"Little pitchers have big ears," the woman said when she saw her daughter standing at the door listening as she talked to her husband.
live a life of (something)
- have a life of a certain quality or style
My friend has been living a life of luxury since he won much money in the lottery.
live and learn
- increase one's knowledge by experience
I will have to live and learn and try not to eat so much food that I almost get sick.
live and let live
- not interfere with other people's business or preferences
Our neighbor believes that one should live and let live and she never complains or criticizes other people who live around her.
live beyond one's means
- spend more money than one can afford
The couple have been living beyond their means and are now in serious financial difficulty.
live by one's wits
- survive by being clever
The boy lives by his wits and never has any problems dealing with life.
live down (something)
- remove blame or distrust by good conduct, cause something to be forgiven by not repeating it
Our supervisor is trying to live down his reputation of being a hard person to work for.
live for the moment
- live without planning for the future
The young man lives for the moment and has no money saved for the future.
live from hand to mouth
- live on little money and in poor circumstances
Her brother is an artist and must live from hand to mouth because he has no money.
live happily ever after
- live in happiness after a specific event
It was a very beautiful movie and in the end everybody lived happily ever after.
live high on/off the hog
- live very luxuriously or comfortably
He has been living high on the hog since he won the money in the lottery.
live in
- live at the place where one works
The young woman got a job where she could live in with a family with three children.
live in an ivory tower
- be unaware of the realities of everyday life
The university professor lives in an ivory tower and does not seem to understand what is going on in the world.
live it up
- have a good time
He likes to live it up every weekend when he gets paid.
live off the fat of the land
- grow and live on one's own food
The early pioneers went to the mountain valley and were able to live off the fat of the land.
live on borrowed time
- continue to live/operate longer than circumstances would suggest
My old car has been living on borrowed time for a long time now.
live out of a suitcase
- stay away from your home while travelling with only the belongings in your suitcase
I dislike my job because I am often away from home and must live out of a suitcase.
live (something) down
- overcome the shame or embarrassment of something
It was difficult for the woman to live down the embarrassment and shame of the fact that she had stolen some money at her job.
live through (something)
- endure something
The people in the town lived through one of the worst disasters in many years.
live up to one's end of the bargain
- do as was promised in a bargain
The young boy did not live up to his end of the bargain when he did not make an effort to finish his homework before watching television.
live up to (something)
- act according to something, fulfill expectations
He is trying very hard to live up to his reputation as a smart busnessman.
live within one's means
- spend no more money than one has
The young couple work hard to live within their means and they always have lots of money to spend.
the living end
- great, fantastic, the ultimate
My sister said that her new boyfriend was the living end.
loaded
- have lots of money
My new boss is really loaded.
lock horns with (someone)
- get into an argument with someone
I locked horns with a woman who I work with and we had a big argument last week.
lock (something) in
- make something (such as a rate of interest) permanent over a period of time
We locked in the mortgage of our house for a period of five years because the interest rates were low.
lock, stock, and barrel
- everything
The small corner store went out of business and sold everything lock, stock, and barrel.
lock the barn door after the horse is stolen
- be careful or try to make something safe after it is too late
If you try and prevent a flood after the rains have started it is like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen.
lock (something) up
- to be assured of success
The candidate has already locked up the nomination to be a candidate in the next election.
long and the short of it
- all the facts, the whole story
I phoned my friend and he told me the long and the short of it regarding the reason why he got fired.
long face
- a sad look, a disappointed look
He had a long face when he came into work this morning. Something must have happened to him.
a long haul
- a long distance or trip
He is a long-haul trucker and is always out of town working.
the long haul
- a long period of time during which work continues or something is done
He has decided to stay here for the long haul and will not return to his home.
a long shot
- a bet or other risk taken though not likely to succeed
It was a long shot that he would get the job so he was very happy when he did get it.
look Idioms look a gift horse in the mouth
- complain if a gift is not perfect
"Even if you don`t like the present from your company you shouldn`t complain. Remember, don`t look a gift horse in the mouth."
look after (someone)
- take care or attend to someone
She has been looking after her mother since her mother's recent illness.
look at (someone) cross-eyed
- look at someone provocatively
When the man in the bus looked at the other man cross-eyed they seemed like they were going to have a fight.
look at the world through rose-colored glasses
- see only the good things about something, be too optimistic
I told my friend to be more realistic and not to always look at the world through rose-colored glasses.
look down on (someone or something)
- regard someone or something with contempt or a feeling of superiority
My cousin looks down on the activities and life of most small towns.
look down one`s nose at (someone or something)
- show your dislike of someone or something
He always looks down his nose at the other members of his class.
look for (something)
- try to find something, hunt/search for something
She has been looking for her credit card all morning but she can`t find it.
look for (something to happen)
- think/expect that something is likely to happen
They are looking for our manager to become the next sales director of the company.
look for trouble
- do something that may cause trouble
The young boys spend every Saturday evening walking around and looking for trouble.
look forward to (something)
- anticipate something with pleasure
We have been looking forward to the concert for a long time.
look good on paper
- something appears to be a good plan (but maybe not in actual practice)
My supervisor's plan looks good on paper but in reality I don't think that it will be successful.
look high and low for (someone or something)
- look carefully in every possible place for someone or something
We looked high and low for my grandmother's hearing aide but we could not find it.
look in on (someone)
- go to see someone, make a short visit to someone, make a call on someone to see if they are doing well
"Could you please look in on the baby and see if she is sleeping."
look into (something)
- investigate or check something
They have been looking into the cause of the accident for many months.
look like a million dollars
- look well and prosperous, appear healthy and happy
He looked like a million dollars when I saw him at the party last weekend.
look like death warmed over
- look very ill
The elderly man looked like death warmed over when he went to the hospital.
look like (something)
- to predict something
It looks like it is going to rain this evening.
look like something the cat dragged in
- look very shabby or worn
My friend looked like something the cat dragged in when he arrived home from work last night.
look like the cat that ate/swallowed the canary
- seem very self-satisified, look like you have just had some kind of success
He looked like the cat that ate the canary when he came in with a smile on his face after receiving his special bonus.
look on
- be a spectator
There were many people who gathered to look on after the car accident.
look on (someone) as (something)
- view or think of someone as something
Everybody in our neighborhood looks on my neighbor as someone to talk to if they have a problem.
look out
- take care, be careful, be on guard
"Look out! There is a large truck coming down the highway."
look out for (someone)
- provide protection and care for someone
"Please look out for my sister when she stays with you this summer."
look out for (someone or something)
- be alert or watchful, keep looking for something
"Could you please look out for any old vinyl records that you may find."
look over (something)
- inspect/survey/examine something
"Please take some time to look over these documents before you sign them."
look (someone) in the eye/face
- face someone directly
I looked the man in the eye when I asked him to move his car out of my way.
look (someone) up
- seek and find someone
When I was in New York City I looked up my friend from university.
look the other way
- ignore something
Our boss looks the other way when his staff are one or two minutes late.
look through (something)
- to search through something, to examine something with one's eyes
I looked through my desk for my house keys.
look through (something)
- to see through something like a window
I looked through the window at the beautiful sunset.
look to (someone)
- depend on someone, go to someone for help
My friend looks to his mother for help when he has a problem.
look to (something)
- attend to something, take care of something
She is a wonderful nurse and spends a great deal of time looking to the needs of her patients.
look up (something)
- to search for something in a dictionary or other book
I will look up my friend's name in the telephone book.
I looked up the word in the dictionary.
look up to (someone)
- think of someone as a good example to copy, respect someone
I look up to the president of our company as someone I would like to copy.
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loom large (on the horizon)
- something that could be coming as a possible problem/danger/threat
A large increase in transportation costs is looming large on the horizon.
loose ends
- details that are not settled, things that are not finished
I have many loose ends to deal with before I go on my holidays.
lord it over (someone)
- act as the superior and master of someone, be bossy over someone
She likes to lord it over the other members of the staff since she became a supervisor.
lose Idioms lose face
- be embarrassed or ashamed by an error or failure, lose dignity
Our boss lost face when his employees decided not to support him during the meeting.
lose ground
- go backward, become weaker, not improve
The government has been losing ground in their fight against inflation.
lose heart
- become discouraged
The girl has begun to lose heart in her efforts to learn the piano.
lose one's cool
- lose one's temper
The saleswoman lost her cool during a meeting with the chief supplier.
lose one's grip
- lose a secure grasp or hold of something
The rock climber lost his grip and fell off the side of the cliff.
lose one's grip
- lose control of a situation
I think that our boss is losing his grip in his ability to control the workplace.
lose one's head over (someone or something)
- become confused or overexcited about someone or something
The young woman lost her head when she discovered that she had won the swimming competition.
lose one`s marbles
- go crazy or act irrationally
The man seems to have lost his marbles and doesn`t make any sense at all.
lose one`s shirt
- lose a lot of money
I think that he is going to lose his shirt on the new business venture.
lose one`s temper
- become angry
He lost his temper when the child broke the expensive dish.
lose one's touch (with someone or something)
- lose one's ability to handle someone or something
I think that the horse trainer is losing her touch with the horses that she is training.
lose one's train of thought
- forget what one was talking or thinking about
I lost my train of thought when I was talking on the telephone to my friend.
lose one`s way
- become lost
The first time that she went to London she lost her way.
lose oneself (in something)
- become deeply involved in something
The violin player always loses herself in her music when she is giving a concert.
lose out on (something)
- fail to get or take part in something
He lost out on a chance to go to Mexico City because he was too busy with other things.
lose out to (someone or something)
- fail to win, miss first place in a contest
Our team lost out to the other team in the soccer tournament.
lose sight of (something)
- forget something, fail to see something
"Don't lose sight of the main reason that you are planning to take the class."
lose sleep over (someone or something)
- worry about someone or something so that you cannot sleep
I have been losing sleep over my inability to solve my recent problems at work.
lose touch with (someone)
- fail to keep in contact or communication with someone
I lost touch with the people who I worked with at my summer job.
lose track of (someone or something)
- lose contact with someone or something
I have lost track of many of my friends from high school.
lose weight
- to decrease one's weight
I want to lose weight so I have stopped eating sweets.
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lost-and-found
- a place that handles lost items that other people find
I went to the lost-and-found department at the train station to look for my umbrella.
lost and gone forever
- permanently lost
My father's pocket knife is lost and gone forever and we will probably never see it again.
a lost cause
- a hopeless matter
Trying to change the work habits of our secretary is a lost cause. She will never change.
lost in thought
- busy thinking
I was lost in thought when my friend phoned me last night.
lost on (someone)
- wasted or having no effect on someone
My attempt at telling a joke was lost on my former girlfriend.
loud and clear
- clear and distinct
I could hear the announcement loud and clear.
a loudmouth
- a noisy, boastful or foolish talker
He is a loudmouth and nobody likes him.
louse up
- throw into confusion, make a mess of something, spoil something
She loused up her job interview and has no chance to get the job now.
lousy with (something)
- something is in abundance, many/much of something
The hotel room was lousy with cockroaches.
love at first sight
- love from the first time that two people see each other
It was love at first sight when the young couple met at the photography class.
lovely weather for ducks
- rainy weather
"Lovely weather for ducks," I said when I met my neighbor walking in the rain.
lover`s lane
- a hidden road or walkway where lovers walk or park their cars in the evening
After the movie we drove to the local lover`s lane.
low man on the totem pole
- the least important person
I am the low man on the totem pole in our company and I have no power at all.
the lowdown
- the inside facts of a matter, the total truth
I met with the speaker after the presentation and he gave me the lowdown on the new computer equipment.
lower one's sights
- set one's goals lower than they were
My cousin did not graduate from university and will have to lower his sights when he begins to look for a job.
lower one's voice
- speak more softly
The usher in the movie theater asked me to lower my voice.
lower oneself to (some level)
- bring oneself down to a lower level of behavior
I do not want to lower myself to the same level as my very incompetent supervisor.
lower the boom on (someone)
- scold or punish someone severely
Our teacher lowered the boom on the students who were late with their homework.
luck out
- to suddenly get lucky even though it looks like you won`t succeed
He lucked out with the concert tickets and was able to buy four of them.
one's lucky stars
- a certain star or planet which is thought to bring a person good luck and success in life
You can count your lucky stars that you don`t have to work on a rainy day like today. lull before the storm
- a quiet period just before a period of great activity or excitement
It was the lull before the storm when the school principal walked into the assembly hall to speak to the students about the new policy.
lull (someone) into a false sense of security
- lead someone to believe that all is well before attacking them
The residents of the small community were lulled into a false sense of security when there were no crimes for several years.
lull (someone) to sleep
- cause someone to fall asleep
The mother spent a long time trying to lull her young baby to sleep.
lunatic fringe
- the more extreme members of a group
A small lunatic fringe of protesters caused many problems at the convention.
