787
Leader of the House, the
laze¹ /leɪz/ v [I+adv/prep] to rest lazily: He spent the afternoon lazing in a hammock.
laze about/around phr v [I] to waste time enjoyably, with little effort: That's enough lazing around – it's time to start work.
laze sthg. ↔ away phr v [T] to spend (time) lazily: She lazed away the afternoon in a deckchair by the pond.
laze² n [S] a short period of restful and lazy inactivity
la·zy /'leɪzi/ adj 1 derog disliking and avoiding activity or work: He won't work; he's just too lazy! 2 (especially of a period of time) suitable for doing nothing, or spent in doing nothing: a lazy afternoon 3 moving slowly: a lazy river
—zily adv —ziness n [U]
la·zy·bones /'leɪzɪbəʊnz/ n pl. lazybones infml a lazy person: Come on, lazybones; it's time to get up!
lazy Su·san /ˌleɪzɪ 'suːzən/ n a flat piece of plastic or wood which can be turned round and made to hold several dishes etc on a dinner table so that everyone can reach what they want
lb written abbrev. for pound (weight)
LBJ /ˌel biː 'dʒeɪ/ → see JOHNSON, LYNDON B.
lbw /ˌel biː 'dʌbəljuː/ abbrev. for leg before wicket (LEG)
LCD /ˌel si 'diː/ n 1 abbrev. for liquid crystal display; the part of a watch, CALCULATOR, or small computer where numbers and letters are shown by means of an electric current that is passed through a special liquid 2 written abbrev. for LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR
LCM written abbrev. for LOWEST COMMON MULTIPLE
L-driv·er /'el ˌdraɪvə/ n BrE someone who is learning to drive. L-drivers have to use L-PLATES.
LDS written abbrev. for Latter-Day Saints → see MORMON
lea /liː/ n poet an open piece of grassy land
LEA /ˌel iː 'iː/ abbrev. for LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY
Lea and Per·rins /ˌliː ənd 'perɪnz/ trademark a well-known type of WORCESTER SAUCE
leach /liːtʃ/ v [out, away, from] tech 1 [T] to separate (a substance) from a material, such as soil, by passing water through the material: Alkali is leached out from ashes. 2 [I] (of certain substances in a material) to be removed by water passing through the material: All the minerals essential for plant growth gradually leached away.
lead¹ /liːd/ v led /led/ 1 [T+obj+adv/prep, especially to] to go with or in front of (a person or animal) so as to take them to a place or show them the way: She led the blind man down the stairs. | The horses were led into the yard. | (fig.) The distant lights led me to the village. | (fig.) A single vital clue led the police to the murderer. | (fig.) The girl's father blamed her boyfriend for leading her astray. (=causing her to behave wrongly) 2 [I(ON);T] to go in front (of), especially so as to show the way: You lead (on) and we'll follow. | The royal car led the procession. 3 [I+adv/prep] to be the means of reaching a place, going through an area etc: A path led through the wood. | This road leads to the village. | (fig.) Her careless spending led her into debt. 4 [T+obj+to-v] to cause, especially wrongly: She led me to believe that she had a lot of influence. (=but in fact she did not have such influence) 5 [I;T] to be in charge of (especially a group): Has she got the qualities necessary to lead? | A general leads an army. | He's been chosen to lead the cricket team. 6 [I;T] to be ahead (of) in sports or games: The English team was leading (France) 1-0 at half time. | (fig.) Japan leads the field (=is ahead of all other countries) in electronics production. 7 [T] to live (a particular kind of life): He led an exciting life. 8 [I(with)] to make one's main attacking hits in BOXING: He led with his left. (=left hand) 9 [I;T(with)] to start or open a game of cards (with): She led (with) her highest card. 10 lead someone a (merry) dance BrE infml to cause someone a lot of unnecessary trouble, such as making them follow you about from place to place without any advantage to themselves 11 lead someone by the nose infml to have complete control over someone 12 lead someone up the garden path infml to cause someone to believe something that is not true; deceive someone 13 lead the life of Riley BrE slang to live in complete comfort, enjoyment etc
To lead is to show the way by going first: You lead and we'll follow. | She led them down the mountain. To guide is to go with someone (who needs help) in order to show the way and explain things: He guided the blind woman across the road. | He guided the tourists round the castle. To direct is to explain to someone how to get to a place: Could you direct me to the station, please?
lead (sthg. ↔) off phr v [I;T(with)] 1 to make a start (to); begin: She led off (the show) with a song. 2 AmE to BAT first in an INNING in BASEBALL: Sandberg will lead off for the Cubs.
lead sbdy. on phr v [T] 1 to cause to believe something that is not true: She has no sense of humour, so she couldn't see he was leading her on. | He thought it was love but she was only leading him on. 2 to influence (someone) into doing something they should not do: My little Tommy would never have got into trouble with the police if those friends of his hadn't led him on.
lead to sthg. phr v [T no pass.] to result in: This will lead to trouble in the future. | [+obj+v-ing] The scandal led to him resigning.
lead up to sthg. phr v [T] to come before and result in or be a preparation for: His flattering words led up to a request for money. | the events leading up to his arrest
lead² /liːd/ n 1 [C] a guiding suggestion or example: We're waiting for the conductor to give us a lead. | I'll follow your lead. 2 [the] the position ahead of all others: The English team was in the lead (=winning the game) at half time. | He's playing the lead (=the most important acting part) in the new play. | Japan has taken the lead in car production. (=is now producing more than any other country) | It's up to someone to take the lead in condemning these injustices. (=to do so first, and set a good example to others) 3 [S(over)] the distance, number of points etc by which one competitor is ahead of another: England had a lead of ten points to three at half time. | Japan will soon have/take an unassailable lead over other car-producing countries. 4 [C] BrE || leash AmE or BrE fml — a length of rope, leather, chain etc, fastened to an animal, usually a dog, to control it: a dog on a lead 5 [C] an electric wire for taking the power from the supply point to an instrument or apparatus 6 [C] a piece of information that may lead to a discovery or to something being settled; CLUE: The police have several useful leads. 7 [(the)S] the right to play the first card in a game: It's your lead, partner.
lead³ /liːd/ adj [A] being most important or a leader: a lead part in a play | a lead singer in a pop group
lead⁴ /led/ n 1 [U] a soft, heavy, easily-melted greyish-blue metal, used for waterpipes, to cover roofs etc: lead piping 2 [C;U] (a thin stick of) GRAPHITE (=a black substance) used in pencils: I need a pencil with a soft lead. 3 go down like a lead balloon (of a joke, remark etc) to be received very badly: His comment on her hairstyle really went down like a lead balloon. 4 [U] AmE slang bullets: They filled him full of lead. (=they shot him many times) → see also LEADS, BLACK LEAD, WHITE LEAD, swing the lead (SWING¹)
lead·ed lights /ˌledɪd 'laɪts/ also ,leaded 'windows n [P] especially BrE windows with thin narrow pieces of LEAD separating small PANES of glass. The glass is often in a diamond pattern and is thought to look old-fashioned and attractive.
leaded pet·rol /ˌledɪd 'petrəl/ BrE || ,leaded 'gasoline, ,leaded 'gas AmE — n [U] petrol containing lead, generally considered to be harmful to the environment → opposite LEAD-FREE PETROL or UNLEADED
lead·en /'ledn/ adj 1 of the colour of lead; dull grey: a leaden sky 2 without cheerfulness or excitement: With a leaden heart she opened the income-tax envelope. | a rather leaden performance
lead·er /'liːdə/ n 1 [(of)] a person who guides or directs a group, team, organization etc: the leader of the miners' union | He's always been a follower rather than a leader. | a born leader 2 [(of, in)] a person or thing that is ahead of others: Liverpool are the current leaders in the football championship. | The leader (of/in the race) is just coming into view. 3 BrE || concertmaster AmE — the chief VIOLIN player of an ORCHESTRA 4 AmE for CONDUCTOR 5 BrE for EDITORIAL: the
'Times' leader writers 6 tech the strongest stem or branch of a tree → see also LOSS LEADER
Leader of the 'House, the a member of the UK
government who is responsible for organizing the work of