| lay waste |
to destroy; devastate. |
| laywoman |
a woman who is a member of a religious congregation but not of the clergy. [2 definitions] |
| lazaretto |
a hospital specializing in the treatment of those with contagious diseases, esp. leprosy. [2 definitions] |
| Lazarus |
according to the New Testament, a man who was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ. [2 definitions] |
| laze |
to pass (time) idly; (usu. fol. by "away"). [2 definitions] |
| lazy |
inclined to avoid effort or exertion. [3 definitions] |
| lazybones |
(informal; usu. used with a sing. verb) a person who is lazy. |
| lazy Susan |
a revolving tray for food or condiments, usu. placed in the center of a table. [2 definitions] |
| lb. |
abbreviation of "pound," or "pounds," a unit of weight equal to sixteen ounces or 453.592 grams in the avoirdupois weight system, and equal to twelve ounces or 373.242 grams in the apothecaries' and troy weight systems. |
| LBO |
abbreviation of "leveraged buyout," the takeover of a corporation by a group of investors using borrowed money that is secured by the assets of the corporation being acquired. |
| lbs. |
abbreviation of "pounds," a plural form of "pound." |
| l.c. |
abbreviation of "lowercase." |
| LCD |
abbreviation of "liquid crystal display," a device that employs a film of transparent liquid crystals that become opaque when electrified, so that the pattern of opaque and transparent crystals can form letters or numbers, as in electronic watches, calculators, and the like. |
| L-dopa |
a synthetic substance that converts to dopamine in the brain, used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. |
| lea |
an open, usu. grassy piece of land; meadow. |
| leach |
to extract (soluble matter) by means of a percolating liquid. [9 definitions] |
| leachable |
combined form of leach. |
| lead1 |
to conduct or give direction to; guide. [20 definitions] |
| lead2 |
a chemical element that has eighty-two protons in each nucleus and that occurs in pure form as a very dense, malleable bluish gray metal used in many applications requiring high density, such as radiation shielding, shot, and weights. (symbol: Pb) [10 definitions] |
| lead a dog's life |
to have a life of misery and trouble. |
| leaden |
not easily moved; heavy. [4 definitions] |