lo and behold
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lo and be'hold interj infml (an expression of surprise at something unexpected): She had looked everywhere for her key when lo and behold there it was in her bag!
'loan ,shark n derog someone who lends money at unreasonably high INTEREST rates
loan-word /'ləʊnwɜːd||-wɜːrd/ n a word taken into one language from another: In English there are loanwords from many other languages.
loath, loth /ləʊθ/ adj 1 [F+to-v] unwilling; RELUCTANT: I've had this old car a long time; I'm loath to part with it. 2 nothing loath lit quite willing
loathe /ləʊð/ v [T not in progressive forms] to feel hatred or great dislike for: He is loathed by most of his staff because of his unfairness and ruthlessness. | [+v-ing] I loathe having to get up so early in the morning!
loath·ing /'ləʊðɪŋ/ n [S;U] hatred; a feeling of DISGUST
loath·some /'ləʊðsəm/ adj which causes loathing; extremely unpleasant: the loathsome smell of rotting flesh —ly adv —ness n [U]
loaves /ləʊvz/ pl. of LOAF
lob¹ /lɒb||lɑːb/ n [C] (in sports, especially TENNIS) a ball hit or thrown in a slow high curve
lob² v -bb- [T] to send (a ball) in a lob: She lobbed the ball high over her opponent's head.
lob·by¹ /'lɒbi||'lɑːbi/ n 1 a wide hall or passage which leads from the entrance to the rooms inside a public building: the hotel lobby → compare FOYER 2 (in the British Parliament) a) a hall where Members of Parliament and the public meet b) either of two passages where members go to vote for or against something 3 [+sing./pl. v] a group of people who try to persuade a Member of Parliament, a member of Congress, or public official to support or oppose certain actions: The minister was met by a lobby of industrialists. → see also LOBBY² 4 [+sing./pl. v] a group of people who unite for or against a planned action in an attempt to persuade those in power to change their minds: The clean-air lobby is/are against the plans for the new factory. | a powerful anti-smoking lobby
lobby² v [I(for, against);T] to meet or attempt to influence (someone with political power) in order to persuade them to support one's actions, needs, or beliefs. In Britain PRESSURE GROUPS (=groups who want a particular change in the law) lobby Members of Parliament to try to achieve what they want. In the US lobbyists lobby Congress to try to achieve their aims: They are lobbying for a reduction in defence spending. | [+obj+to-v] We are lobbying our MP to support the new law.
'Lobby corre,spondent also 'Lobby ,journalist n a newspaper writer or broadcaster who is allowed to work in the British parliament
lobe /ləʊb/ n 1 also earlobe — the round fleshy piece at the bottom of the ear 2 tech a rounded division of an organ, especially of the brain or lungs —lobed /ləʊbd/ adj
lo·bot·o·my /ləʊ'bɒtəmi, lə-||-'bɑː-/ n (an operation for) the cutting away of part of the brain in order to make violent or uncontrolled PATIENTS calm. The operation is performed less often now than formerly because it has an effect on the person's ability to think and make decisions. —mize, -mise v [T]
lobster
crayfish
lobster
lob·ster /'lɒbstə||'lɑːb-/ n 1 [C] a large eight-legged sea animal with a shell and two large CLAWS. Its meat is quite expensive, and can be eaten after boiling, when the shell turns bright red. 2 [U] lobster meat as food
lob·ster·pot /'lɒbstəpɒt||'lɑːbstərpɑːt/ n a trap shaped like a basket, in which lobsters are caught
lo·cal /ˌləʊ 'kɑːl / adj LOW-CAL
lo·cal¹ /'ləʊkəl/ adj 1 of, in, or serving the needs of, a certain place or area, especially the place one lives in: the/our local doctor | local news | a local radio station. 2 tech limited to one part, especially of the body: a local infection | a local anaesthetic → see also LOCALLY; see TOPICAL (USAGE)
local² n infml 1 [often pl.] someone who lives in the area where one finds them: I asked one of the locals which way to go. 2 BrE a PUB near where one lives, especially a pub which one often drinks at: having a pint in/at his local → see also PUB and Feature on page A24 3 especially AmE a bus, train etc that stops at all regular stopping places → compare EXPRESS² 4 AmE a branch of a trade union
,local ,area 'network n → see LAN
,local au'thority n [C+sing./pl.v] in Britain, the government for the city, town, or area, responsible for services such as schools and street-cleaning: cuts in local authority spending
,local 'colour n [U] additional details in a story or picture which are true to the place being represented, making it seem real
,local 'council n a small division of British local government, responsible for providing services e.g. housing and RECREATION in a particular area, usually a town
,local 'derby n BrE a football match between two teams from the same area
lo·cale /ləʊ'kɑːl/ n fml a place where something particular happens or is done: We must choose a suitable locale for the outdoor scenes in the film.
,Local Edu'cation Au,thority abbrev. LEA n an organization in the UK which is responsible for public education in a particular area. The LEA is in charge of all the schools in an area, except for GRANT-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS and private institutions, and it pays the wages of the teachers there. → compare SCHOOL DISTRICT
,local e'lections n [P] (in Britain) elections in which COUNCILLORS are chosen for a local government area
,local 'government n [C;U] the government of cities, towns etc → see also extra information on page A20
,local 'health au,thority n (in Britain) an organization which controls hospitals and medical services in a particular area, e.g. a COUNTY
,local his'torian n a person who studies the history of a particular area, usually the one where she/he lives
,local 'history n [U] the history of a particular area: She knows a lot about local history – she'll be able to tell you when these houses were built.
lo·cal·i·ty /ləʊ'kæləti/ n rather fml a particular area; DISTRICT: There are several cinemas in the locality. (=near the place being spoken of)
lo·cal·ized also -ised BrE /'ləʊkəlaızd/ adj especially fml or tech (especially of something undesirable) within a small area: a localized infection | localized outbreaks of fighting
lo·cal·ly /'ləʊkəli/ adv 1 in a local area: Most of the country will be dry, but there may be some rain locally. (=in particular areas) 2 near the place one is talking about: We have no shops locally. | I live locally, so it's easy to get to this office.
,local 'option n BrE the right which a part of a country may have to decide whether alcohol should be sold in that area
,local 'paper also ,local 'rag BrE infml — n a newspaper which gives the news and carries advertisements from people and businesses in the area where it is published (PUBLISH): Where's the local paper? I want to see what's on at the pictures. | My daughter's wedding was in the local paper.
,local 'radio n [U] the group of radio stations operated by the BBC or the IBA which broadcast programmes especially intended for a particular small area, e.g. local news and programmes of interest to local people: The village fete was advertised on local radio.
'local time n [U] the time system in a particular part of the world: We will arrive in New York at ten o'clock local time.
lo·cate /ləʊ'keɪt||'ləʊkeɪt/ v fml 1 [T] to find the position of: We've located the source of the signals, sir. 2 [T+obj+adv/prep; usually pass.] to fix or set in a certain place; SITUATE: The house is located by the river. | The offices are conveniently located in the centre of town. 3 [I+adv/prep] AmE to come and establish oneself or itself: The firm finally located in Dallas.