Idioms Translator
Base language: EN
Letter: l
Total idioms: 9849 - currently selected: 488 (50 per page)Laugh out of court
laugh out of court (third-person singular simple present laughs out of court, present participle laughing out of court, simple past and past participle laughed out of court)
1. (idiomatic) To dismiss as silly something presented with genuine conviction or treated seriously.
? The claim that his dog wrote the poems was laughed out of court by publishers.
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Laugh something off
When you laugh about something that has upset or hurt you, to make it seem less important or to try to show that you do not care, youlaugh it off.
Examples:
She overheard her colleague's critical remark, but she laughed it off.
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Laugh up one's sleeve
laugh up one's sleeve
1. (UK, Canada, idiomatic) To laugh secretly or to oneself.
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Laugh up your sleeve
If you laugh up your sleeve, you are secretly amused at another person's problems or difficulties.
Examples:
Tom felt that his demonstration was confusing and that his colleague was laughing up his sleeve.
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Laugh up your sleeve
If you laugh up your sleeve, you are secretly amused at another person's problems or difficulties.
Examples:
Tom felt that his demonstration was confusing and that his colleague was laughing up his sleeve.
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Laughing stock
A person who does something stupid or ridiculous which causes others to laugh becomes a laughing stock.
laughing stock (plural laughing stocks)
1. (idiomatic) An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; a butt of sport.
Examples:
If you wear that to school you'll be the laughing stock of the class!
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Laundry list
laundry list (plural laundry lists)
1. (archaic) Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered.
2. (idiomatic, by extension) A long and often tedious list of items.
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Law latin
law Latin (uncountable)
1. (idiomatic, obsolete, slang) Barbarous Latin.
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Law of the jungle
A situation in which people are prepared to use unscrupulous methods in order to succeed or survive is called the law of the jungle.
law of the jungle (uncountable)
1. (idiomatic) The survival of the fittest, strongest or most cunning
Examples:
Some businesses today seem to be governed by the law of the jungle.
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Law unto themselves
If someone is a law onto themselves, they do things their own way and ignore what is generally considered as acceptable.
Examples:
They're against discipline and allow their children complete freedom - they're a law onto themselves.
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Lawn sleeves
lawn sleeves (plural only)
1. Used other than as an idiom: see lawn, sleeves.
2. The sleeves of a bishop's ceremonial garments.
3. The bishops of the Anglican or Roman Catholic churches.
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Lay a finger on
lay a finger on
1. (idiomatic) To merely touch
2. If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters
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Lay an egg
to lay an egg (third-person singular simple present lays an egg, present participle laying an egg, simple past and past participle laid an egg)
1. (of a bird or other egg-creating animal) To produce an egg.
2. (idiomatic, of a person, organization, etc.) To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.
? That author usually writes good stuff,
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Lay down the law
Someone who lays down the law tells people very forcefully and firmly what to do.
lay down the law
1. To promulgate law.
2. (law, dated) To present the law that applies to a given case.
3. (idiomatic) To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.
Examples:
The volunteers helped in a disorganized way. They needed someone to lay down the law.
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Lay down the marker
lay down the marker
1. (idiomatic) To set the standard.
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Lay hands on
lay hands on
1. (idiomatic) To find, obtain or procure.
? If we can lay hands on some chicken wire and a black light, we can make some scary Halloween decorations.
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Lay it on the line
If you speak frankly and make something very clear, you lay it on the line.
Examples:
The boss laid it on the line and told Jimmy that if he arrived late for work again he would lose his job.
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Lay it on thick
to lay it on thick (third-person singular simple present lays it on thick, present participle laying it on thick, simple past and past participle laid it on thick)
1. (idiomatic) To exaggerate or overstate a feeling or emotion.
? She laid it on thick when her pet died.
2. (idiomatic) To flatter.
? He knew he needed to lay it on thick in his job inte
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Lay odds
lay odds
1. To offer a bet in which one stands more to lose than the opponent; or a bet in some other way favourable to the opponent.
2. To feel certain about something.
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Lay of the land
lay of the land (uncountable)
1. The physical characteristics of the terrain or surrounding natural environment.
2. (idiomatic) The trends, feelings, intentions, and other factors influencing a strategic, political, or social situation.
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Lay off
lay off (third-person singular simple present lays off, present participle laying off, simple past and past participle laid off)
1. (transitive) (of an employer) To dismiss (workers) from employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance package.
2. (transitive) (of a bookmaker) To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce
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Lay on
lay on
1. (transitive, idiomatic) to provide (food or drinks) for free
? At the conference, they laid on a wonderful buffet.
2. (transitive, idiomatic) To repeatedly say (particular things)
? He layed on compliments.
? She was fed up him laying on the jokes, which she found insulting.
3. To do something excessively.
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Lay on the line
lay on the line
1. (idiomatic, transitive) To state strongly, clearly, and accurately.
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To risk.
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Lay over
lay over (third-person singular simple present lays over, present participle laying over, simple past and past participle laid over)
1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To make an intermediary stop somewhere.
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Lay rubber
lay rubber
1. (idiomatic, intransitive, of a vehicle) To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
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Lay something at the feet of
lay (something) at the feet of
1. (transitive, idiomatic) To assign responsibility for (something) to (someone).
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Lay the groundwork
lay the groundwork
1. (idiomatic) To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.
? The introductory mathematics courses will lay the groundwork for all your subsequent engineering studies.
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Lay the pipe
lay the pipe
1. (idiomatic) To have penetrative sex with a woman.
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Lay to rest
lay to rest (third-person singular simple present lays to rest, present participle laying to rest, simple past and past participle laid to rest)
1. (idiomatic) To bury one who has died.
? He was laid to rest beneath the old oak tree in 1825.
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Lay/set/clap eyes on
If you lay/set/clap eyes on someone or something, you look at or see them.
Examples:
I've heard of him but I've never clapped eyes on him.
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Laze about
laze about
1. (intransitive, idiomatic) to do nothing in particular, be idle.
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Laze around
laze around
1. (intransitive, idiomatic) to do nothing in particular, be idle.
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Lead nowhere
lead nowhere (third-person singular simple present leads nowhere, present participle leading nowhere, simple past and past participle lead nowhere)
1. (idiomatic) to have no purpose, to result in nothing.
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Lead on
lead on
1. (transitive, idiomatic) to mislead, to try to make someone believe a lie.
2. (transitive, idiomatic) to encourage with the illusion of a romantic relationship.
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Lead someone down the garden path
lead someone down the garden path
1. (idiomatic) To mislead, deceive, hoodwink, or seduce.
? They all have been leading us down the garden path about health care.
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Lead the line
lead the line
1. (idiomatic) To play as centre forward.
? Andy Carroll is leading the line, with Suarez playing behind him.
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Lead time
lead time (plural lead times)
1. (idiomatic) The amount of time between the initiation of some process and its completion, e.g. the time required to manufacture or procure a product; the time required before something can be provided or delivered.
? It's an excellent device, but it has a 10-week lead time, so be sure to order it in advance.
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Lead to a dead end
If a plan or project leads to a dead end, it develops no further because it has no future.
Examples:
In spite of the scientists' efforts, the research lead to a dead end.
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Lead up the garden path
If someone leads you up the garden path, they deceive you by making you believe something which is not true.
Examples:
I still haven't got the promotion I was promised. I think my boss is leading me up the garden path!
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Lead up the gardenpath
If someone leads you up the garden path, they deceive you by making you believe something which is not true.
Examples:
I still haven't got the promotion I was promised. I think my boss is leading me up the garden path!
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Leader of the free world
leader of the free world (uncountable)
1. (idiomatic, regional) The President of the United States.
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Leading light
leading light (plural leading lights)
1. (idiomatic) An acclaimed expert, one of the foremost experts, a luminary.
? Stephen Hawking is a leading light in physics, people say he's the greatest physicist since Einstein.
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Leak out
leak out
1. (intransitive) To come out of, because of a leak
? Water leaked out onto the floor.
2. (intransitive, idiomatic) to be revealed (especially, of information intended to be kept secret)
? The news of her pregnancy eventually leaked out to the press.
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Lean and mean
lean and mean (comparative more lean and mean, superlative most lean and mean)
1. (idiomatic) efficient because of having nothing in excess of what is needed, and single-minded in one's objective
? He's a lean and mean fighting machine.
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Lean on
lean on
1. To depend upon for support.
2. (idiomatic) To apply pressure on.
? He didn't make a donation until some of his customers leaned on him.
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Lean towards
lean towards
1. (idiomatic) To favor in a decision.
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Leap to mind
leap to mind (third-person singular simple present leaps to mind, present participle leaping to mind, simple past and past participle leaped to mind or leapt to mind)
1. (idiomatic) To appear in one's thoughts.
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Learn the ropes
If you learn the ropes, you learn how to do a particular job correctly.
Examples:
He's a smart kid. It won't take him long to learn the ropes.
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Learning curve
The length of time needed to learn something new is called the learning curve.
Examples:
The new system has a long learning curve so we'll have to give the staff time to get used to it.
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Leather working
leather working (uncountable)
1. (idiomatic) The technology of making products from leather.
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