- Sir! Did you have a good holiday? Did you go away?
- Yes, I went to France, to Paris.
- Did you have much trouble with your French when you were there?
- No, I didn"t - but the Parisians did.
n. (also la) mus. Sixth note of a major scale. [latin labii, word arbitrarily taken]
LAM
v. (-mm-) slang thrash; hit. [perhaps scandinavian]
LAP
of honour n. Ceremonial circuit of a racetrack etc. By a winner.
- n. - front of the body from the waist to the knees of a sitting person.
- clothing covering this. in the lap of the gods beyond human control. In the lap of luxury in extremely luxurious surroundings. [old english]
- —n. - a one circuit of a racetrack etc. B section of a journey etc.
- a amount of overlapping. B overlapping part.
- single turn of thread etc. Round a reel etc. —v. (-pp-) 1 lead or overtake (a competitor in a race) by one or more laps.
- (often foll. By about, round) fold or wrap (a garment etc.) Round.
- (usu. Foll. By in) enfold in wraps etc.
- (as lapped adj.) (usu. Foll. By in) enfolded caressingly.
- cause to overlap. [probably from *lap1]
- —v. (-pp-) 1 a (esp. Of an animal) drink with the tongue. B (usu. Foll. By up, down) consume (liquid) greedily. C (usu. Foll. By up) consume (gossip, praise, etc.) Greedily.
- (of waves etc.) Ripple; make a lapping sound against (the shore). —n. - a act of lapping. B amount of liquid taken up.
- sound of wavelets. [old english]
LAT
Abbr. Latitude.
LAV
n. Colloq. Lavatory. [abbreviation]
LAW
lord n. Member of the house of lords qualified to perform its legal work.
- n. - a rule enacted or customary in a community and recognized as commanding or forbidding certain actions. B body of such rules.
- controlling influence of laws; respect for laws.
- laws collectively as a social system or subject of study.
- binding force (her word is law).
- (prec. By the) a the legal profession. B colloq. The police.
- (in pl.) Jurisprudence.
- a the judicial remedy. B the lawcourts as providing this (go to law).
- rule of action or procedure.
- regularity in natural occurrences (laws of nature; law of gravity). 10 divine commandments. be a law unto oneself do what one considers right; disregard custom. Lay down the law be dogmatic or authoritarian. Take the law into one's own hands redress a grievance by one's own means, esp. By force. [old english from old norse, = thing laid down]
LAX
adj. - lacking care or precision.
- not strict. laxity n. Laxly adv. Laxness n. [latin laxus loose]
LAY
figure n. - jointed figure of a human body used by artists for arranging drapery on etc.
- unrealistic character in a novel etc. [dutch led joint]
- reader n. Lay person licensed to conduct some religious services.
- —v. (past and past part. Laid) 1 place on a surface, esp. Horizontally or in the proper or specified place.
- put or bring into the required position or state (lay carpet).
- make by laying (lay foundations).
- (often absol.) (of a hen bird) produce (an egg).
- cause to subside or lie flat.
- (usu. Foll. By on); attribute or impute (blame etc.).
- prepare or make ready (a plan or trap).
- prepare (a table) for a meal.
- arrange the material for (a fire). 10 put down as a wager; stake. 11 (foll. By with) coat or strew (a surface). 12 slang offens. Have sexual intercourse with (esp. A woman). —n. - way, position, or direction in which something lies.
- slang offens. Partner (esp. Female) in, or act of, sexual intercourse. lay about one hit out on all sides. Lay aside 1 put to one side.
- cease to consider. Lay at the door of impute to. Lay bare expose, reveal. Lay claim to claim as one's own. Lay down 1 put on a flat surface.
- give up (an office).
- formulate (a rule).
- store (wine) for maturing.
- sacrifice (one's life). Lay (one's) hands on obtain, locate. Lay hands on seize or attack. Lay hold of seize. Lay in provide oneself with a stock of. Lay into colloq. Punish or scold harshly. Lay it on thick (or with a trowel) colloq. Flatter or exaggerate grossly. Lay low overthrow or humble. Lay off 1 discharge (unneeded workers) temporarily; make redundant.
- colloq. Desist. Lay on 1 provide.
- impose.
- inflict (blows).
- spread on (paint etc.). Lay open 1 break the skin of.
- (foll. By to) expose (to criticism etc.). Lay out 1 spread out, expose to view.
- prepare (a corpse) for burial.
- colloq. Knock unconscious.
- arrange (grounds etc.) According to a design.
- adj. - a non-clerical. B not ordained into the clergy.
- a not professionally qualified. B of or done by such persons. [greek laos people]
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