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launder
visitors. 2 being the second of two people or things, or the
last in the list just mentioned: I'd go for the latter option if I
were you. ➔ opposite FORMER
atter² n pl. latter [the] the second of two people or things, or
the last in the list of things just mentioned: If offered red or
white wine, I'd choose the latter. ➔ opposite FORMER
latter-day adj [A no comp.] modern; recent: a latter-day hero
Latter-Day 'Saints n [P] the MORMONS
at·ter·ly /'lætɨlɪl-ɚ-/ adv fml (more) recently ➔ compare
FORMERLY
lattice /'lætɪs/ also lat-tice-work /'lætɪswɜːkl-wɜːrk/
n 1 a frame of flat pieces of wood or metal crossed over each
other with open spaces between, used as a fence, a support
for climbing plants etc ➔ compare TRELLIS 2 also lattice
'window an old type of window with many small pieces of
glass held together by narrow pieces of lead
Lat·vi·a /'lætviə/ a country in northeast Europe on the Baltic
Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania, which used to be part of
the former SOVIET UNION. Latvia joined the EU in 2004.
Population: 2,348,784 (2003). Capital: Riga. —Latvian n, adj
laud /lɔːd/ v [T] old use or pomp to praise: It's annoying to see a
rival's work lauded to the skies. (=praised very greatly)
Lau-da, Nik-i /'laʊdə, 'niːki/ (1949-) an Austrian racing driver
who was Formula One world CHAMPION in 1975, 1977, and
1984. He was badly burned in an accident in 1976 but
continued racing for many years.
lau-da-ble /'lɔːdəbəl/ adj (especially of behaviour, actions
etc) good and deserving praise, even though perhaps not
completely successful: Despite his laudable attempts to bring
the two sides together, the dispute continued to drag on. ➔
compare LAUDATORY —bly adv —bility /ˌlɔːdəˈbɪlɪti/ n [U]
lau-da-num /'lɔːdənəm/ n [U] a substance containing the
drug OPIUM in alcohol, used, especially formerly, as a medi-
cine to lessen pain and for its pleasant effects
lau-da-to-ry /'lɔːdeɪtɔːri–tɔːri/ adj fml expressing praise or
admiration: laudatory comments ➔ compare LAUDABLE
Lau-der, Es-tée /'lɔːdər, esˈteɪ/ (1908–2004) a US business-
woman who started the COSMETICS company Estée Lauder
laugh¹ /lɑːf || læf/ v 1 [(at)] to express amusement, happiness,
careless disrespect etc by breathing out forcefully so that one
makes sounds with the voice, usually while smiling: It was
so funny, we couldn't help laughing. | Don't laugh – this is a
serious matter. | I told him not to be so rude, but he just
laughed. | No one laughs at my jokes. | (fig.) her laughing eyes
(=bright happy-looking eyes) 2 [T+obj+adv/prep] to bring, put
etc, with laughing: The pathetic performance was laughed off
the stage. 3 [T+obj+adj] to cause (oneself) to become by
laughing: It was such a ridiculous suggestion that we all
laughed ourselves silly. (=laughed very much) | He laughed
himself hoarse. 4 laugh all the way to the bank to show
pleasure because one has gained financially (often at someone
else's EXPENSE) 5 laugh and the world laughs with you;
weep, and you weep alone quote a phrase from a poem by
Ella Wheeler Wilcox 6 laugh in someone's face to show
clear disrespect or disobedience towards someone: I sug-
gested that he should work late and he laughed in my
face. 7 laugh like a drain BrE infml to laugh loudly, openly,
and perhaps rudely 8 laugh on the other side of one's
face (usually said unkindly) to experience disappointment,
sorrow, failure etc after expecting success or joy: Wait until
you see the exam results; you'll be laughing on the other side of
your face! 9 laugh something out of court to refuse to
consider (something) because it is too silly: The idea was
laughed out of court. 10 no laughing matter serious; not a
suitable subject for jokes: Losing your job is no laughing
matter, I can tell you. 11 laugh up one's sleeve to laugh
secretly and often unkindly
When you laugh you produce sounds with the
voice while smiling. To guffaw (rare) means 'to laugh
loudly' and to chuckle means 'to laugh quietly, with
pleasure or satisfaction'. To giggle (in Britain used
especially about young girls) is to laugh repeatedly in an
uncontrolled way. To titter is to giggle quietly in a
nervous or silly way. If you laugh quietly in an unpleasant
and rude way, you snigger (AmE snicker). All these
words can be used both as verbs and as nouns. ➔ see
also SMILE (USAGE)
laugh at sthg./sbdy. phr v [T] 1 to treat as foolish or as not
worth serious consideration: They'll just laugh at you if you
can't think of a better excuse than that. | Soccer hooligans just
laugh at the sort of sentences courts give them. 2 to take no
notice of; not care: She laughs at (the idea of) danger.
laugh sthg. off phr v [T] to pretend, by laughing or
joking, that (something) is less serious or important than it
really is: Publicly, they're trying to laugh off this latest failure,
but in private they're very worried.
laugh² n 1 [C] an act or sound of laughing: She gave a
(happy) laugh. 2 [S] infml something done for a joke or
amusement: Wouldn't it be a laugh to tie his shoelaces
together! 3 have the last laugh to win an argument, com-
petition etc, especially after earlier defeats; have one's opin-
ions, actions etc proved to be correct in the end 4 have the
laugh on to make a fool of someone who was trying to
make others look foolish
laugh-a-ble /'lɑːfəbəl || 'læ-/ adj 1 derog so bad or foolish that
it cannot be taken seriously: a laughable attempt to deceive
the public 2 rare amusing; funny —bly adv: The proposals
were almost laughably inadequate.
'Laugh-In, The also Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In a
humorous US television programme of the 1960s and 1970s,
which consisted of a series of SKETCHes (=short funny sto-
ries). Many of the people who regularly appeared in Laugh-In
became famous COMEDIANS and actors, such as Goldie HAWN
and Steve Martin.
'Laughing Ca'valier, The a painting by the 17th century
artist Frans HALS which shows a wealthy man with a large
MOUSTACHE who is slightly smiling in a proud way
'laughing gas n [U] NITROUS OXIDE
,laughing hy'e-na n a HYENA
,laughing 'jackass n a KOOKABURRA
laugh-ing-ly /'lɑːfɪŋli || 'læ-/ adv 1 with a laugh 2 not seri-
ously; as a joke: He's often laughingly referred to as the
forgotten man of British politics.
laugh-ing-stock /'lɑːfɪŋstɒk || 'læfɪŋˌstɑːk/ n someone or
something that is regarded as foolish and causes unkind
laughter: His silly behaviour made him the laughingstock of
the office. (=everyone in the office laughed at him)
laugh-ter /'lɑːftər || 'læf-/ n [U] the act or sound of laughing
Laugh-ton, Charles /'lɔːtən/ (1899–1962) a US actor, born in
the UK, who is most famous for appearing as the characters
HENRY VIII in the film *The Private Life of Henry VIII* (1933),
Captain BLIGH in the film *MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY* (1935),
and QUASIMODO in the film *THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME*
(1939)
launch¹ /lɔːntʃ/ v [T] 1 to send (a boat, especially one that
has just been built) into the water: The new aircraft carrier
was officially launched by the Queen. 2 to send (a modern
weapon or instrument) into the sky or space, especially with a
ROCKET: Our nuclear missiles can be launched at a moment's
notice. 3 to begin (an activity, plan, way of life etc): He
launched a fierce attack on his political opponents. | She's
planning to launch a company to make electronic toys. | They
held a special party to launch the new book. (=to bring it to
public attention when it came out) 4 [(at)] to throw very
hard: (fig.) He launched himself at the thief and brought him to
the ground. ➔ see also the face that launched a thousand
ships (FACE) —er n: a rocket launcher
launch into sthg. phr v [T] to begin eagerly, forcefully etc:
He launched into a violent attack on my handling of the affair.
launch out phr v [+adv/prep] to make an important new
beginning, especially at something rather risky: He left his
father's shop and launched out into business for himself.
launch² n an act of launching: Were you at the launch of the
new ship/book?
launch³ n a usually large motor-driven boat used for carrying
people on rivers, lakes, HARBOURS etc
'launch pad also 'launching pad n a base from which a
MISSILE or space vehicle is sent off into the sky: (fig) The
marketing campaign will be the launch pad for a whole range
of new products.
laun-der /'lɔːndər/ v [T] 1 to wash, or wash and iron