The Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms
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interaction: Karl von Frisch studied the language of the bees. |
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3 jargon, lingua franca, vocabulary, terminology, vernacular, |
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Colloq lingo: In medical language, a head cold is called |
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'coryza'. 4 wording, words, phrasing, phraseology, style, |
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diction: Guarantees, insurance policies, and other such things |
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should be written in simple language. |
lanky |
adj. thin, loose-jointed, lank, lean, gaunt, gangling, rangy, |
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long-legged: They recruited three tall, lanky youths for the |
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basketball team. |
lap° |
v. 1 Often, lap up. lick up, tongue; sip, drink: In a moment, |
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the cat had lapped all the cream from the saucer. 2 wash, |
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splash, ripple, plash, purl: The water rose till it was lapping |
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at the doorstep. 3 lap up. a consume, drink, eat: The dog |
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lapped up every last scrap of food. b accept, believe, credit, |
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fall for, Colloq swallow (whole), buy: She lapped up Felix's |
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sob story and invited him in at once. |
lapý |
n. 1 circuit, orbit, ambit, circle, tour, trip, revolution: |
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She runs four laps round the track every day for exercise. 2 |
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flap, fold, lappet, projection, lapel, overlap: This lap hides |
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the zip. |
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--v. 3 overlap, fold, enfold, envelop, wrap: Lap the fabric so |
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as to cover the seam. |
lapse |
n. 1 slip, error, mistake, fault, failing, oversight, blunder, |
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shortcoming, omission, Formal lapsus, Colloq slip-up, fluff, |
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goof: Apart from a brief lapse, the child behaved very well. |
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Owing to a lapse, your payment was not credited. 2 gap, break, |
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interval, intermission, interruption, pause, lacuna, hiatus, |
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Prosody caesura, Colloq hold-up: Listeners in Scotland |
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experienced a lapse in transmission, for which we apologize. 3 |
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decline, lowering, fall, deterioration, drop, diminution, |
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descent: There has been a serious lapse in church attendance. |
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--v. 4 decline, lower, fall, drop, diminish, sink, slip, slump, |
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subside, deteriorate: Despite the doctor's best efforts, he |
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lapsed into a coma. 5 run out, expire, be discontinued, become |
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void, terminate, end, cease, stop: Your option to sell the |
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shares at the offering price lapses on Friday. 6 pass, elapse, |
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go by, slip away: Three months had lapsed since she last saw |
him.
large adj. 1 big, great, broad, stout, heavy, thickset, chunky, stocky, heavy-set, brawny, husky, sturdy, hefty, muscular, strapping, burly, solid, weighty, corpulent, fat, obese, rotund,
portly, adipose, beamy, overweight: Two large gentlemen came up and offered to help me find the door. 2 big, generous,
bountiful, charitable, eleemosynary, philanthropic, open-handed, magnanimous, munificent, unselfish, big-hearted, large-hearted, substantial, considerable, ample, beneficent, liberal; goodly, kind, good; Colloq tidy: We have to thank Mr Wilson for large donations to our Christmas fund. 3 big, huge, ample, enormous, gigantic, immense, colossal, monumental, massive, mammoth, Brobdingnagian, gargantuan, elephantine, monstrous, staggering, sizeable, substantial, wide, broad, capacious, extensive, Colloq jumbo, US humongous, ginormous: The house has a large dining room. Supertankers are the largest ships afloat.
--adv. 4 big, prominently, overwhelmingly, imposingly, eminently, pre-eminently: The problem looms large in the history of biology.
--n. 5 at large. a free, unfettered, at liberty, on the loose, unconfined, unrestrained: One of the robbers is still at large. b generally, mainly, in general, chiefly, as a whole, in a body, altogether, in the main: The people at large support reductions in taxes.
largely adv. chiefly, mainly, as a rule, by and large, generally, in general, to a great extent, mostly, in great part, in great measure, in the main, on the whole, pretty much, essentially, at bottom, basically, fundamentally: The voters are largely in favour of keeping the present government.
largesse n. largess, gifts, alms, grants, bonuses, endowments, presents, contributions, donations, hand-outs; support, subvention, aid, subsidy, charity, philanthropy, generosity, munificence, bounty, liberality, open-handedness: The church depends on the largesse of its members.
lark |
n. 1 frolic, spree, escapade, caper, fling, romp, adventure, |
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revel, jape, game, antic, horseplay, shenanigans, mischief, |
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prank, practical joke: The boys say they took the horse just as |
a lark.
--v. 2 Often, lark about. frolic, caper, romp, revel, play, sport, cavort, gambol, Colloq skylark: We spent a lot of time larking about after our exams.
lascivious
adj. 1 lustful, randy, lecherous, licentious, lewd, prurient, salacious, libidinous, erotic, sensual, lubricious or lubricous, ruttish, goatish, hircine, satyr-like, wanton, Cyprian, debauched, Slang horny, hot: I wouldn't let that lascivious old man near my daughter. 2 pornographic, obscene, blue, lurid, indecent, smutty, dirty, Fescennine, filthy, vile, ribald, bawdy, gross, coarse, offensive: He said that such lascivious novels should be banned and certainly not read in schools.
lash° |
n. 1 whip, scourge, cat-o'-nine-tails, cat, quirt, knout, |
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bull-whip, thong; rope's end: The bosun gave him twenty of the |
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best with his lash. 2 stroke, blow, strike, slash, cut: Few |
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could stand up after five lashes with his whip. |
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--v. 3 flog, beat, thrash, switch, whip, scourge, horsewhip, |
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lambaste, flail, smite, thwack, Colloq whack: Any boy was |
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liable to be lashed for the most trivial misdemeanour. 4 lash |
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out. attack, flay, lambaste, belabour, punish; criticize, |
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berate, scold: She often lashes out at her critics quite |
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virulently. |
lashý |
v. fasten, tie, bind, secure, rope, fix, strap, make fast: His |
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crew lashed Odysseus to the mast as they sailed past the land of |
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the Sirens. |
lass |
n. girl, young woman, miss, mademoiselle, schoolgirl, |
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Old-fashioned maiden, maid, damsel, demoiselle; Scots lassie, |
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Irish colleen: He has married a young lass from Arbroath. |
lasso |
n. 1 lariat, rope, SW US reata or riata: The cowboy tossed the |
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lasso round the calf's neck. |
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--v. 2 rope: He lassoed steers to practise for the rodeo. |
last° |
adj. 1 hindmost, rearmost, aftermost; final: I was the last |
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person to board the plane. 2 latest, newest, most recent or up |
to date: What was the subject of his last novel? During the last week I have seen seven films. 3 final, concluding, terminal, ultimate, terminating: The last train to London leaves at eleven. She was the last speaker of Cornish. 4 definitive, conclusive, decisive, closing: That is my last word on the subject.
--adv. 5 behind, at or in the end, in or at the rear, after: My horse always seems to come in last.
--n. 6 end, termination, finish: That was the last we ever saw of Charlie. 7 at last. finally, eventually, ultimately, at
length: At last we shall see the results of our work.
lastý v. 1 continue, endure, survive, keep on, persist, remain, stay, abide, carry on, hold out, Colloq go the distance: He wouldn't last a day in my job. 2 wear, stand up, endure, survive: This shirt has lasted through innumerable washings.
last° |
n. mould, matrix, form, model, pattern: These shoes were not |
made on the same last as those. |
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lasting |
adj. permanent, enduring, durable, everlasting, long-term, |
undying, eternal: She made a lasting contribution to |
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ophthalmology. |
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late |
adj. 1 tardy, delayed, overdue, behindhand, dilatory, |
unpunctual; belated, US past due: He was even late for his own wedding. Better late than never. Your mortgage payment is late again. 2 recent, last, new, fresh, current, up to date: Have
you got a copy of a late edition of today's newspaper? 3 deceased, departed, dead; former, past, ex-, recent, previous, preceding, old (See also 5., below.): Here is a song by the
late, great Bing Crosby. He has a meeting with Lord Pamby, late chairman of United Oxidation. 4 of late. See 5., below.
--adv. 5 recently, lately, previously, formerly, once, heretofore, in recent or former time(s), of late, latterly (See also 3., above.): They are dining tonight with Sir Keith, late of Scotland Yard. 6 till or at an advanced hour or time: I was up late last night. She married late. 7 tardily, unpunctually, belatedly: We arrived too late for the first act. 8 recently, lately: As late as a week ago they were still holding the job
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open for her. |
lately |
adv. See late, 5. |
latest |
adj. 1 See last°, 2. 2 fashionable, current, modern, up to the |
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minute, Colloq in: She drives the latest model. |
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--n. 3 most recent or up-to-date or modern development or news |
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or example: What's the latest? Have you seen the latest in |
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scuba gear? |
lather |
n. 1 suds, froth, foam: He spread lather on his face and began |
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to shave. 2 sweat; dither, fuss, pother, flutter, Colloq tizzy, |
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state, flap: He got into a real lather when he missed the |
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train. |
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--v. 3 soap (up); foam, froth: The barber lathered my chin |
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thoroughly. 4 thrash, beat, belabour, maul, drub, flog, whack, |
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pummel, buffet, whip, flail, lash: If he dared to swear, his |
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father would lather him. |
laud |
v. praise, commend, celebrate, sing or speak or sound the |
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praises of, honour, acclaim, extol, glorify, promote, advance, |
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recommend, exalt: Bramble's paintings have been lauded by |
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leading art critics the world over. |
laudable adj. praiseworthy, meritorious, creditable, admirable, outstanding, excellent, noteworthy, notable, commendable, estimable, creditable: He has made a laudable effort to keep up in his work.
laudatory adj. laudative, praiseful, eulogistic, panegyric(al), encomiastic(al), complimentary, favourable: None of the laudatory comments made in the introduction was true.
laugh v. 1 titter, giggle, snigger, snicker, chuckle, chortle, guffaw, split one's sides, Colloq break or crack up, roll on the floor, go into hysterics, roar with laughter, hoot: Whenever he wore his hat, they couldn't stop laughing. 2 Often, laugh at.
a deride, ridicule, mock (at), jeer (at), make a mockery of, poke fun (at), make fun or sport (of), make an ass or a fool (out) of, tease, taunt, pull (someone's) leg, satirize,
pasquinade or pasquil, parody, lampoon, jest (at), joke (about),
scoff (at), scorn, Colloq Brit take the mickey out of, US roast: They laughed when I sat down - I didn't know the chair was broken. Why did the other children laugh at you? b laugh away or off, spurn, dismiss, brush aside, minimize, shrug off, reject, ignore, disregard, deny, belittle, Colloq pooh-pooh: He laughed off his injury and insisted on continuing to work.
--n. 3 titter, giggle, snigger, snicker, chuckle, chortle, guffaw, horse laugh: She would do anything for a laugh.
laughter n. laughing, tittering, giggling, sniggering, snickering, chuckling, chortling, guffawing: Children's laughter filled the air.
launch v. 1 start (off), set in motion, set or get going, begin, embark upon or on, initiate, inaugurate: The council is about to launch a scheme for dockside development. The attack was launched at dawn. 2 originate, establish, organize, set up, found, open, start: Robson is talking about launching a new company. 3 shoot, fire, discharge, hurl, throw, sling, pitch, fling, catapult, send, dispatch or despatch: The enemy launched ground-to-air missiles against our planes. 4 float, set afloat: Two frigates will be launched today.
--n. 5 inauguration, start, initiation, opening: The launch of the offensive is scheduled for noon tomorrow. 6 boat, skiff, tender, motor boat, runabout, gig, dinghy: The launch will shuttle passengers between the pier and the cruise ship.
launder v. 1 wash, clean, scrub, cleanse: The chambermaid laundered three shirts for me. 2 legitimize, legitimatize, legitimate, legalize: The money from heroin was being laundered through several car dealerships.
laurels n.pl. honour(s), distinction(s), fame, awards, tributes, rewards, acclaim, acclamation, glory, renown, celebrity,
popularity, reputation; successes, accomplishments: With no new fields to conquer, he is resting on his laurels.
lavatory n. water-closet, WC, toilet, bathroom, Colloq Brit the Gents, the Ladies('), Men's (Room), rest room, privy, Chiefly military or institutional latrine; Nautical head; Brit (public) convenience, US equipment, outhouse; Colloq (little) boys' or
and gazed at the sky.
lawyer |
n. counsel, advocate, member of the bar, legal practitioner, |
Brit solicitor, barrister, Queen's or King's counsel, bencher, |
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US attorney(-at-law), counselor(-at-law), Slang US mouthpiece: |
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We have turned the case over to a lawyer. |
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lax |
adj. 1 loose, slack, casual, slipshod, easygoing, careless, |
negligent, permissive, weak, indulgent, flexible, relaxed: Law |
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enforcement has always been lax in that city. 2 imprecise, |
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undefined, indefinite, non-specific, unspecific, vague, |
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shapeless, amorphous, general, broad, inexact, hit-or-miss, |
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careless, untidy, Colloq sloppy: His ideas about tactics are |
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too lax for a military man. |
lay° |
v. 1 place, put (down), set (down), position, deposit; spread: |
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Lay the cloth on the table, then lay the book on top of it. 2 |
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set, arrange: The table was laid for four. 3 Often, lay down. |
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establish, build, construct: Before I can argue my case, I must |
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lay a firm foundation of trust. 4 stake, bet, wager, gamble, |
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hazard, risk: I'll lay ten to one that you won't be able to |
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move that crate. 5 destroy, suppress, exorcize: Did Edward |
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ever succeed in laying that ghost of a rumour that haunted his |
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career for so long? 6 present, offer, submit, set or put forth, |
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advance, bring or put forward, set out: We have laid our |
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proposal before the board. 7 charge, impute, direct, lodge, |
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prefer, aim, attribute, ascribe: There is no justification for |
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laying the blame on Leonard. 8 copulate (with), couple (with), |
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have (sexual) intercourse (with), sleep (with), lie (with), bed, |
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go to bed (with), mate (with), have sex (with), go all the way |
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(with), service, Slang screw, shack up (with), Brit roger, Taboo |
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fuck. 9 lay bare. expose, reveal, uncover, disclose, divulge, |
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bring to light, show, unveil, lift the veil from: She laid bare |
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the most intimate details of their relationship. 10 lay down. |
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stipulate, require, demand, insist on, dictate: She laid down |
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the conditions on which he could return home. 11 lay hold of. |
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seize, grab, snatch, nab, catch or get hold of, get: I have |
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been trying to lay hold of that book for weeks. 12 lay in. See |
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19 (a), below. 13 lay into. attack, assault, set about, assail, |
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lambaste, belabour: We laid into the gang and gave them a sound |
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drubbing. 14 lay it on. exaggerate, overstate, embroider: |
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Don't believe what Frank tells you - he really lays it on pretty |
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thick sometimes. 15 lay low. See 18 (c), below. 16 lay off. a |
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suspend; dismiss, discharge, fire, let go, cashier, drum out of |
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the corps, Colloq (give the) sack, (give the) axe, kick out, |
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(give the) boot, boot out, give (someone) his or her walking |
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papers: Fifty workers were laid off because business was slack. |
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b let up, quit (it), stop (it), cease, desist, leave off, leave |
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alone, Colloq knock (it) off, cut (it) out, come off (it): I |
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wish you'd lay off for a while and stop bothering me. You must |
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lay off phoning your mother twice a day. 17 lay on. a provide, |
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cater (for), supply: The company laid on quite a Christmas |
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party. b impose, charge, assess; demand, require: In addition |
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to enforcing payment of back taxes, they laid on a penalty of 20 |
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per cent. 18 lay out. a design, plan, outline, sketch, arrange, |
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set up: The art department laid out the advertisements for the |
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new campaign. b advance, disburse, spend, expend, pay, give, |
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contribute, Colloq shell out, ante up, kick in with, fork out: |
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The salesmen often lay out the money for their expenses and are |
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then reimbursed. c lay low, floor, prostrate, knock down or out, |
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strike or cut down, flatten, fell, strike down, Colloq knock for |
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six, kayo or K.O.: He laid out the challenger with a blow to |
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the solar plexus. 19 lay up. a lay in, amass, accumulate, save |
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(up), hoard, preserve, store, keep, put away, put by: We laid |
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up a supply of canned goods for the winter. b hospitalize, |
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incapacitate, disable, confine to bed, keep indoors: She has |
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been laid up with a virus all week. |
layý |
adj. 1 secular, non-clerical, laic, non-ecclesiastical: He |
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served as a lay preacher for many years. 2 amateur, |
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non-professional, non-specialist: Members of the lay public did |
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not immediately understand the dangers of the greenhouse effect. |
lay° |
n. ballad, song, air, refrain, strain, melody; poem, ode, |
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lyric, rhyme, ballade: Macaulay wrote a book entitled Lays of |
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Ancient Rome . |
lazy |
adj. 1 indolent, slothful, dilatory, idle, shiftless, inactive, |
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listless, fain‚ant, otiose, slack, lax, lethargic: He's so lazy |
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and so rich that he pays someone just to walk his dog. 2 slow, |
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languid, easy, easygoing, sluggish, slow-moving, languorous: |
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The hot lazy summer days were whiled away fishing. |
12.2 lead...
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lead |
v. 1 conduct, escort, usher, guide, show the way, pilot, steer: |
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If you lead, I'll follow. 2 cause, influence, prompt, bring, |
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incline, induce, persuade, move, dispose, convince: What led |
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you to suspect the butler? 3 head (up), direct, govern, |
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command, supervise, superintend, preside (over), take the lead, |
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take or assume command (of), manage, captain, Colloq skipper: |
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The orchestra would like you to lead. Who is going to lead the |
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men into battle? Nicole leads a weekly discussion group on |
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alcoholism. 4 come or be or go first, excel, surpass, exceed, |
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precede, be ahead (of), outstrip, distance, outrun, outdo: They |
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lead the world in the production of sugar. 5 live, experience, |
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spend, pass; while away: He is leading a life of ease on the |
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French Riviera. 6 be conducive to, create, engender, cause, |
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contribute to, result in, bring on or about, produce: Your |
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stubbornness can lead only to frustration. 7 lead astray. lead |
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on, mislead, misguide, misdirect, deceive; fool, decoy, |
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hoodwink, Colloq bamboozle: She might have been led astray by |
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that wolf in sheep's clothing. 8 lead off. start (off or in or |
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out or up), begin, commence, get going or moving, get under way, |
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initiate, inaugurate, Colloq kick off: The proceedings will |
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lead off with the national anthem. Who is going to lead off the |
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singing? 9 lead on. a See 7, above. b lure, entice, seduce, |
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beguile, inveigle, tempt: They led me on with offers of a huge |
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salary. 10 lead up to. a prepare or pave or clear (the way), |
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do the groundwork or spadework, precede: The events leading up |
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to the overthrow of the government may never be known. b |
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approach, broach, bring up, present, introduce, work up or round |
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or around to, get (up) to: I should lead up to the subject |
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delicately, if I were you. |
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--n. 11 front, vanguard, van, lead or leading position or |
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place, advance or advanced position or place: The horse that he |
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had bet on was in the lead coming down the home straight. 12 |
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advantage, edge, advance, supremacy, margin, priority, primacy, |
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pre-eminence: She has the lead over all her competitors. Our |
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team had a two-point lead at half-time. 13 direction, guidance, |
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leadership, precedent, example, model, exemplar, pattern, |
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standard: We decided to follow his lead. 14 tip, clue, hint, |
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suggestion, cue, intimation; prospect, possibility, potential; |
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Colloq tip-off: Barry is following up some leads for a new job. |
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The advertisement produced some new sales leads. 15 leash, |
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tether, restraint, cord, chain: The dog fetches his lead |