Limelight
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C1 noun /ˈlaɪm.laɪt/

Limelight

Meaning
the focus of public attention; a bright light produced by heating a cylinder of lime
Example
The celebrity enjoyed being in the limelight.
C1 verb /loʊð/

loathe

Meaning
to feel intense dislike or disgust for
Example
He absolutely loathes being late to meetings.
C2 noun /ˈlɛtʃ.əri/

lechery

Meaning
excessive or offensive sexual desire; lustfulness
Example
The novel depicted the lechery of corrupt nobles.
C1 verb /ˈlɛvi/

levy

Meaning
To impose or collect, especially a tax or fine.
Example
The government decided to levy a new tax on luxury goods.
B1 verb /leɪ/

lay

Meaning
to put something down in a flat position; to place carefully
Example
Please lay the book on the table.
A1 noun, verb /laɪn/

line

Meaning
A long narrow mark or band; a row of people or things; to cover the inside surface of something.
Example
People waited in a long line outside the theater.
C1 noun /ˌloʊkəˈmoʊʃən/

locomotion

Meaning
movement or the ability to move from one place to another
Example
Walking is the most common form of human locomotion.
C1 noun /lɒft/

loft

Meaning
An upper room or space, often under the roof of a building.
Example
She converted the old loft into a modern studio.
C2 noun /ˈleɪ.ɪ.ti/

laity

Meaning
Ordinary members of a religious community who are not clergy.
Example
The church welcomed the laity to participate in the event.
B1 verb /loʊˈkeɪt/

locate

Meaning
to find the exact position or place of something
Example
They managed to locate the missing keys under the couch.
B2 verb /liːp/

leap

Meaning
to jump high or far; to move quickly with large steps
Example
The cat leaped onto the table.
C1 adjective /ˈlaʊzi/

lousy

Meaning
of very poor quality; bad or unpleasant
Example
He felt lousy after catching the flu.
B2 noun /ˈleɪaʊt/

layout

Meaning
the arrangement or design of something, especially the arrangement of elements in a book, webpage, or room
Example
The designer presented a new layout for the website that was much more user-friendly.
C1 noun /ˈleɪ.tən.si/

latency

Meaning
The delay in processing signals or data.
Example
High latency in online gaming can cause lagging issues.
B2 noun /ˈliːf.lət/

Leaflet

Meaning
a printed sheet of paper containing information or advertising and usually distributed free
Example
She handed out leaflets about the environmental campaign.
B2 noun ˈlɪv.ɪŋ ˈstæn.dədz

living standards

Meaning
The degree of wealth and material comfort available to a person or community; quality of life.
Example
High living standards improve satisfaction.
C1 verb /lʌl/

lull

Meaning
to soothe or calm; to cause to sleep or rest
Example
The gentle music lulled the baby to sleep.
A1 verb /læf/

laugh

Meaning
to make sounds and movements expressing happiness or amusement
Example
The joke made everyone laugh.
C2 noun /ˈlæsi/

lassie

Meaning
a young girl (informal, mainly Scottish)
Example
The old man greeted the little lassie warmly.
B2 adjective /leɪm/

Lame

Meaning
unable to walk normally because of an injury or illness affecting the leg or foot; weak and unconvincing
Example
The injured horse was lame and couldn't walk properly.
A2 adjective /ˈlʌv.li/

Lovely

Meaning
beautiful; charming; delightful; attractive
Example
What a lovely day for a picnic!
C2 noun /ˈlɪtərdʒi/

liturgy

Meaning
A form or formulary according to which public religious worship is conducted.
Example
The priest followed the liturgy during the Sunday mass.
C2 noun /ˈlɪnəmənt/

liniment

Meaning
A liquid or lotion applied to the skin to relieve pain or stiffness.
Example
He rubbed liniment on his sore muscles after the workout.
C1 phrase lɪˈdʒɪt.ɪ.mət sɛlf dɪˈfens

legitimate self-defense

Meaning
Lawful protection of oneself from harm or attack.
Example
The country claimed it was legitimate self-defense.
B1 noun /ˈlaɪtɪŋ/

lighting

Meaning
the arrangement or use of light in a place; the act of providing light
Example
The lighting in the restaurant created a warm and cozy atmosphere.
C2 adjective /lɪˈbɪdənəs/

libidinous

Meaning
Showing excessive sexual drive; lustful.
Example
The play was criticized for its libidinous characters.
C2 adjective /ləˈsɪviəs/

lascivious

Meaning
showing an overt and often offensive sexual desire
Example
The lascivious remarks made everyone uncomfortable.
C1 adjective /loʊθ/

loath

Meaning
reluctant or unwilling to do something
Example
She was loath to admit her mistake in front of everyone.
B2 noun; verb /ˈlaɪnʌp/

line-up

Meaning
a group or arrangement of people or things in a line; to arrange people or things in a row or planned order
Example
The coach announced the team line-up before the match.
C2 noun /lɪˈvaɪəθən/

leviathan

Meaning
a huge sea monster or something very large and powerful.
Example
The ship looked like a leviathan on the horizon.
B2 adjective /ˈlɛŋθi/

lengthy

Meaning
long in duration or extent
Example
The meeting was lengthy, lasting over three hours.
C1 noun /lʌmp/

Lump

Meaning
a compact mass of a substance, especially one without a definite or regular shape
Example
She found a lump of sugar in the bowl.
B2 noun /ˈlɪvər/

liver

Meaning
a large organ in the body that cleans the blood and produces bile to help digest food.
Example
The liver plays a vital role in removing toxins from the body.
C2 noun /ˈlɔɪtərər/

loiterer

Meaning
A person who lingers aimlessly in a place without purpose.
Example
The police questioned the loiterer outside the store.
B2 adjective /lɑːrdʒ skeɪl/

large-scale

Meaning
involving a large number or quantity, or covering a large area
Example
The company is planning a large-scale expansion into international markets.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪmbər/

limber

Meaning
Flexible and agile in body or movement.
Example
Dancers need to stay limber to perform well.
C1 noun /ˈlɛɡɪŋ/

legging

Meaning
tight-fitting stretch pants, typically worn by women for exercise or casual wear
Example
She bought a new pair of black leggings for the gym.
A1 adverb /ˈleɪtər/

later

Meaning
At a time subsequent to a reference time; afterwards.
Example
We will discuss the details later.
C2 adjective /ˈlɔːdəˌtɔːri/

laudatory

Meaning
Expressing praise or admiration.
Example
She wrote a laudatory review of the new book.
A2 adjective /liːst/

Least

Meaning
smallest in amount or degree; minimal
Example
This is the least expensive option available.
B2 noun /lʌŋ/

Lung

Meaning
either of the two organs in the chest that you use for breathing
Example
Smoking can cause serious damage to your lungs.
C2 verb /lʌɡ/

lug

Meaning
to carry or drag something heavy or cumbersome with effort
Example
He had to lug the suitcase up three flights of stairs.
C1 noun ˈledʒ.ɪ.slə.tʃər

legislature

Meaning
The legislative body of a country or state; the branch of government that makes laws.
Example
The legislature drafts laws for governance.
C1 noun /ˈlɛdʒɪsleɪtər/

legislator

Meaning
a person who makes laws, especially a member of a legislative body
Example
The legislator introduced a bill to improve healthcare.
C2 noun /ˈlæŋɡər/

languor

Meaning
A state of tiredness, inertia, or dreamy relaxation.
Example
The hot afternoon filled her with languor.
C2 noun /ˈlændˌhoʊl.dər/

landholder

Meaning
a person who owns land, especially in large amounts
Example
The landholder leased part of his property to local farmers.
C1 noun /ˈlʌɡ.ɪdʒ væn/

Luggage van

Meaning
a vehicle designed for carrying luggage and cargo
Example
The luggage van carried all the passengers' suitcases.
B2 adjective, adverb /ˈlɒŋ taɪm/

long-time

Meaning
lasting or existing for a long period of time; having continued for many years
Example
She is a long-time friend of my family.
C2 noun /ˈlɪŋ.ɡoʊ/

lingo

Meaning
Specialized or informal language used by a particular group that is often difficult for outsiders to understand.
Example
The manual was written in technical lingo that confused the new employees.
B1 adjective /ˈlʌv.ɪŋ/

Loving

Meaning
affectionate; caring; showing love and warmth
Example
She is a loving mother who cares deeply for her children.
A1 noun /lʌntʃ/

Lunch

Meaning
a meal eaten in the middle of the day, typically one that is lighter or less formal than an evening meal
Example
We had lunch at a nice restaurant downtown.
B2 noun /ˈlɪt.ər.ə.si/

Literacy

Meaning
the ability to read and write; competence or knowledge in a specified area
Example
Adult literacy programs help people learn to read.
B1 noun /loʊn/

Loan

Meaning
a thing that is borrowed, especially a sum of money that is expected to be paid back with interest
Example
He took a loan to buy a new car.
A1 adjective, noun, adverb, verb (past tense of leave) /lɛft/

left

Meaning
on or towards the side of the body that is to the west when facing north
Example
He turned left at the intersection.
C2 adjective /ˈlæk.ti.əl/

lacteal

Meaning
Relating to or resembling milk; conveying chyle or milky fluid.
Example
The lacteal vessels in the small intestine absorb dietary fats.
C2 noun /lækˈteɪʃən/

lactation

Meaning
the secretion of milk by the mammary glands of female mammals
Example
The doctor explained that lactation is a natural process after childbirth.
B2 noun /ˈlɒk.ɪt/

Locket

Meaning
a small ornamental case, typically made of gold or silver, worn on a chain around the neck
Example
She kept her grandmother's photo in the locket.
C2 noun /liːdʒ/

liege

Meaning
A feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service; a loyal subject.
Example
The knight pledged loyalty to his liege.
B2 noun /ˈlɪn.ən/

linen

Meaning
A strong cloth made from the fibers of the flax plant, or items made from this cloth such as sheets or clothing.
Example
She bought new linen curtains for the living room.
B1 noun/verb /ˈleɪ.bər/

labor

Meaning
work, especially hard physical work; to work hard
Example
The workers labored in the hot sun all day.
C1 noun

Longitude

C2 noun /ˌlɪk.wəˈfeɪ.ʃənt/

liquefacient

Meaning
a substance that causes something to become liquid
Example
The chemist explained how the liquefacient worked in the experiment.
A1 verb /liːv/

leave

Meaning
to go away from; to depart or exit
Example
The train leaves at 6 PM.
C1 noun /ˈliːʒən/

lesion

Meaning
An area of damage or abnormal change in the tissue of an organism, often caused by injury or disease.
Example
The doctor examined the skin lesion carefully.
B1 noun /læm/

Lamb

Meaning
a young sheep; meat from a young sheep
Example
The little lamb followed its mother everywhere.
B1 noun /ˈlek.tʃər/

Lecture

Meaning
an educational talk to an audience, especially to students in a university or college
Example
The professor gave an interesting lecture on history.
B1 adjective /ˈlaɪv.li/

Lively

Meaning
full of life and energy; animated; cheerful
Example
The children had a lively discussion about their favorite books.
C2 noun /liː/

lea

Meaning
An open area of grassy or arable land; a meadow.
Example
The cottage was surrounded by a quiet lea.
A1 verb /lʊk/

look

Meaning
to direct your eyes to see something; to appear or seem
Example
Look at the beautiful sunset in the sky.
B2 adjective; verb (past and past participle) /lɜːrnd/

learned

Meaning
having acquired much knowledge through study; gained knowledge or skill through experience or teaching
Example
She is a learned scholar with deep knowledge of history.
B2 noun /ˈlɪstɪŋ/

listing

Meaning
a series of items or names written or printed in a specific order
Example
The listing of available jobs was updated daily.
C2 /laɪð/

lithe

Meaning
thin, supple, and graceful in movement
Example
The lithe dancer captivated the audience with her graceful spins.
C1 adjective /ˈlɪvɪd/

livid

Meaning
Extremely angry; furious.
Example
She was livid when she found out about the betrayal.
B2 noun /leɪs/

Lace

Meaning
a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern; a cord or string for fastening
Example
She wore a beautiful dress decorated with intricate lace patterns.
C1 noun /lʌst/

Lust

Meaning
very strong sexual desire; a passionate desire for something
Example
His lust for power corrupted him completely.
B2 noun /lɪˈdʒɪtɪməsi/

legitimacy

Meaning
the quality of being accepted as right, proper, or lawful
Example
The legitimacy of the election was questioned by observers.
C1 noun /ˈlɪɡ.əmənt/

ligament

Meaning
A tough band of tissue that connects bones at a joint.
Example
He tore a ligament in his knee while playing football.
C2 noun /ˈlɪniəmənt/

lineament

Meaning
A distinctive feature or characteristic, especially of the face.
Example
Her delicate lineaments revealed her noble birth.
C2 noun /ˈlɪθəˌɡræf/

lithograph

Meaning
a print made by lithography, often artistic
Example
The museum displayed a rare lithograph from the 19th century.
B1 verb /loʊd/

load

Meaning
to put goods or cargo onto a vehicle; to fill something with a heavy quantity
Example
Workers load the truck with heavy boxes.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪəri/

leery

Meaning
Cautious or wary due to suspicion or distrust.
Example
She was leery of investing in the new business.
B1 adverb /ˈleɪt.li/

Lately

Meaning
recently; in the recent past; not long ago
Example
I haven't seen him lately, but I heard he got a new job.
C1 noun /ˈleɪˌpɜːrsən/

layperson

Meaning
A person who is not a member of the clergy or does not have specialized knowledge in a subject.
Example
The judge explained the law so that the layperson could understand.
B2 verb lɔːntʃt

launched

Meaning
Set (something) in motion by pushing it or letting it go.
Example
The satellite was launched successfully.
B1 adverb /ˈlɪtərəli/

literally

Meaning
in a literal manner or sense; exactly
Example
He was literally running for three hours without stopping.
B2 noun /ˈlɒbi/

lobby

Meaning
a large open area near the entrance of a building; also a group trying to influence decisions.
Example
We met the manager in the hotel lobby before the meeting.
C1 noun /ˈlɔːriət/

laureate

Meaning
A person honored with an award for outstanding achievement in a field, especially the arts or sciences.
Example
The Nobel laureate gave an inspiring lecture on peace.
C2 adjective /ˈlæmbənt/

lambent

Meaning
glowing or flickering softly; having a gentle radiance
Example
The lambent light of the candle filled the room with warmth.
C2 noun /ˌlɛksɪˈkɒɡrəfər/

lexicographer

Meaning
A person who compiles, writes, or edits dictionaries.
Example
The lexicographer spent years compiling the dictionary.
A1 verb /luːz/

lose

Meaning
to be unable to find something; to fail to win; to misplace
Example
I hope I don't lose my keys again.
C1 adverb /ˈleŋθ.waɪz/

Lengthwise

Meaning
in the direction of the length; along the longest dimension
Example
Fold the paper lengthwise to make it easier to carry.
C2 verb /lɑːl/

loll

Meaning
To sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way.
Example
He lolled on the sofa after a long day at work.
C2 noun /ˈlæɡ.ərd/

Laggard

Meaning
a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others; someone who is slow to act
Example
The laggard student finally submitted his assignment after the deadline.
B2 adjective /ˈlʌvəbl̩/

loveable

Meaning
easy to love; endearing or charming
Example
The puppy was so loveable that everyone wanted to hold it.
C1 noun /ˈlɔː.ləs.nəs/

Lawlessness

Meaning
absence of law and order; a state where laws do not exist or are not enforced
Example
The city descended into lawlessness after the government collapsed.
A1 noun /ˈlet.ər/

Letter

Meaning
a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech; a written message, typically sent in an envelope
Example
She wrote a letter to her grandmother.
C2 noun /ˈlɔːndrəs/

laundress

Meaning
A woman whose job is washing clothes and linens.
Example
The laundress delivered the freshly cleaned clothes to the household.
A1 noun ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ

language

Meaning
A method of communication used by humans, consisting of spoken and written words structured in specific ways.
Example
Learning a new language can be exciting.
C1 adjective /ˈlæk.tɪk/

lactic

Meaning
Relating to milk or lactic acid.
Example
Intense exercise can lead to a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles.
C2 adjective /ˈlæŋɡwɪd/

Languid

Meaning
lacking energy or vitality; slow and relaxed; weak or faint
Example
After the long journey, she felt languid and needed to rest.
C2 noun /læŋ'ɡʊər/

Langoor

Meaning
a long-tailed monkey found in Asia, especially India and Southeast Asia
Example
The langoor was sitting on the tree branch eating fruits.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈlæpɪˌdɛri/

lapidary

Meaning
As noun: a person who cuts, polishes, or engraves precious stones; As adjective: relating to such work.
Example
The museum displayed lapidary tools used in ancient times.
C1 verb /ˈlɪbəreɪt/

liberate

Meaning
to set free from imprisonment, oppression, or restraint
Example
The army liberated the city from enemy control.
C2 noun /ˈlɒkətɪv/

locative

Meaning
a grammatical case indicating location or place
Example
In Latin, the locative case is used to indicate location.
A2 noun /ˈloʊ.kəl/

Local

Meaning
belonging or relating to a particular area or neighborhood; a person living in a particular area
Example
The local people are very friendly.
B1 noun, verb /ˈlaɪsəns/

license

Meaning
A legal permission to do something (noun); to grant such permission (verb).
Example
You must have a driving license to operate a car legally.
A1 adjective /ˈlɪtl/

little

Meaning
Small in size, amount, or degree.
Example
He drank a little water before going to bed.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪɡ.ni.əs/

ligneous

Meaning
having the texture or appearance of wood; woody
Example
The ligneous stem supported the heavy flowers.
B2 noun ˈlæbrətɔːriz

laboratories

Meaning
A room or building equipped for scientific experiments, research, or teaching, or for the manufacture of drugs or chemicals.
Example
Advanced laboratories enabled groundbreaking discoveries.
C2 noun /ˈlɔːˌɡɪvər/

lawgiver

Meaning
A person who creates or enforces laws; a legislator.
Example
Moses is often regarded as a great lawgiver in history.
B2 noun /ˈlænd.lɔːrd/

Land lord

Meaning
a person who owns property and rents it to tenants
Example
The landlord collected the monthly rent from all tenants.
C1 verb, adjective, noun /lɪmp/

limp

Meaning
to walk with difficulty, often due to injury or weakness; lacking strength or firmness.
Example
He limped after injuring his ankle.
A2 adjective/adverb /laʊd/

loud

Meaning
Producing or capable of producing much noise.
Example
The music was too loud to concentrate.
C2 noun /ˈlɔːrdlɪŋ/

lordling

Meaning
A young or petty lord; someone of minor nobility.
Example
The arrogant lordling demanded respect despite his lack of experience.
B2 noun /ˈlɪkər/

liquor

Meaning
Alcoholic drinks, especially strong distilled ones such as whiskey or vodka.
Example
The shop sells both beer and hard liquor.
A2 noun /lɒs/

loss

Meaning
The state of no longer having something or someone; the harm resulting from losing.
Example
The company suffered a huge financial loss last year.
B2 noun /ˈledʒ.ənd/

Legend

Meaning
a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated; an extremely famous or notorious person
Example
The legend of King Arthur has inspired many books.
C2 noun /ˈluː.məˌnɛr.i/

luminary

Meaning
A person who inspires or influences others, especially in a particular field.
Example
He is considered a luminary in the world of science.
C1 adjective /ˌlaɪtˈhɑːrtɪd/

light-hearted

Meaning
cheerful, carefree, and not serious
Example
She gave a light-hearted speech at the party.
C2 noun /ˈliːdʒənəri/

legionary

Meaning
a soldier in the Roman army
Example
Each legionary carried a shield and a short sword.
A1 verb /lɜːrn/

learn

Meaning
to acquire knowledge or skills; to gain understanding
Example
Children learn quickly when they are interested.