English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

lie

verb

To be in or move into a horizontal, resting position.

Lieberman

name

A surname of German and Jewish origin.

Liechtenstein

name

A tiny country in Central Europe between Switzerland and Austria, officially the Principality of Liechtenstein.

lied

noun

A German art song for solo voice and piano, typically setting a poem to music.

liege

noun

In feudal times, a lord entitled to service and loyalty from his subjects, or (less often) the subject who owed that loyalty.

lien

noun

A legal right to hold or sell someone's property until a debt owed on it is paid off.

lies

verb

Third-person singular present tense of "lie" — says something untrue on purpose.

lieu

noun

Used in the phrase "in lieu of," meaning in place of or instead of.

lieutenant

noun

A junior commissioned officer rank in the army, air force, or marines, ranking below captain.

life

noun

The condition of being alive, as opposed to being dead or inanimate.

lifeblood

noun

Blood, viewed as essential to staying alive.

lifeboat

noun

A small boat built to rescue people from a sinking or distressed ship, or to carry passengers to safety.

lifeguard

noun

A trained person, usually a strong swimmer, employed to watch over and rescue swimmers at a beach or pool.

lifeless

adj

Dead, or showing no signs of life.

lifelike

adj

Closely resembling a real living person or thing; realistic.

lifeline

noun

Something essential that keeps a person, group, or system going, especially in a crisis.

lifelong

adj

Lasting for someone's entire life.

lifer

noun

A prisoner serving a life sentence.

lifesaver

noun

Someone or something that saves a person's life, especially by rescue.

lifesaving

noun

The skills and techniques used to rescue people, especially from drowning.

lifespan

noun

The length of time an organism typically lives.

lifestyle

noun

The way a person or group typically lives, including their habits, attitudes, and values.

lifetime

noun

The entire duration of someone's or something's life.

lift

verb

To raise something to a higher position.

lifted

adj

Raised up or held high.

lifting

noun

The action of raising something, or the process of doing so.

liftoff

noun

The moment a rocket or aircraft leaves the ground at launch.

ligament

noun

A tough band of tissue that connects one bone to another and helps stabilize a joint.

ligature

noun

A cord, thread, or wire used to tie something tightly, especially to close off a blood vessel in surgery.

light

noun

Brightness that lets people see, from the sun, a lamp, or fire.

lightbulb

noun

A glass bulb that produces light when electricity passes through it.

lighted

adj

Lit up; filled with light.

lighten

verb

To make or become brighter.

lightening

noun

The act or process of making something brighter or lighter in weight.

lighter

noun

A small handheld device that produces a flame, used to light cigarettes, candles, and so on.

lightfoot

adj

Light on one's feet; nimble or quick-moving.

lighthouse

noun

A tower with a powerful light at the top, built to warn or guide ships near dangerous coastlines.

lighting

noun

The equipment used to provide light, or the light it produces.

lightly

adv

In a gentle or delicate manner; with little force or weight.

lightman

noun

A person responsible for operating or maintaining lights, especially in theatre or film production.

lightness

noun

The state of weighing little, or of exerting little force.

lightning

adj

Extremely fast, as if moving at the speed of an electrical flash in the sky.

lights

noun

The lungs of an animal, especially when used as food.

lightsaber

noun

A fictional weapon with a blade made of concentrated light or energy, from the Star Wars films.

lightweight

noun

A boxing (or similar combat sport) weight class between welterweight and featherweight, or a competitor in it.

likable

adj

Easy to like; friendly and pleasant in a way that draws people in.

like

verb

To enjoy something or find it agreeable; to be favorably disposed toward someone or something.

likelihood

noun

The chance that something will happen; probability.

likely

adj

Probable; expected to happen or be true.

likeness

noun

The quality of resembling someone or something; a similarity.

likewise

adv

In the same way; similarly.

liking

noun

A fondness or preference for something.

lil

name

A shortened, affectionate form of Lilian, Lillian, or Lily.

lila

noun

In Hindu philosophy, the idea that the universe and its events are the playful, creative expression of the divine.

lilac

noun

A shrub (genus Syringa) that produces clusters of fragrant white, pink, or purple flowers.

Lilah

name

A female first name, either a short form of Delilah or a variant of Leila.

Lili

name

A female first name, a spelling variant of Lily.

Lilian

name

A female first name derived from the Latin word for "lily."

Liliana

name

A female first name, an elaborated Latinate form of Lilian, also common in Italian and Spanish.

Lilith

name

In ancient Mesopotamian myth, a demon associated with storms, disease, and death.

lill

verb

An old or dialectal word meaning to loll, lounge, or hang loosely.

Lille

name

A city in northern France, capital of the Hauts-de-France region.

Lillian

name

A female first name derived from the Latin word for "lily," common in American usage.

Lillie

name

A female first name, either a variant of Lily or a nickname for Lillian.

Lilly

name

A female first name, a common variant spelling of Lily.

lilo

noun

British: an inflatable mattress used for floating on water or camping.

lily

noun

A plant of the genus Lilium, grown for its large, often trumpet-shaped flowers, or a similar-looking flowering plant.

Lim

name

A common Korean surname.

lima

noun

A flat, pale green bean grown for food, or the plant it comes from.

limb

noun

An arm, leg, or wing — a major projecting part of a body used for movement.

limber

adj

Flexible and able to bend or move easily.

limbic

adj

Relating to the limbic system, the group of brain structures involved in emotion, memory, and motivation.

limbo

noun

A state of being stuck between two situations, with no clear resolution or progress.

lime

noun

A small, round, green citrus fruit with a sharp, tart flavor.

Limehouse

name

A district in East London, now part of the borough of Tower Hamlets.

limelight

noun

The center of public attention; fame and visibility.

limerick

noun

A humorous five-line poem with a bouncing rhythm and an AABBA rhyme scheme.

limes

noun

A fortified frontier line or border, especially of the ancient Roman Empire.

limestone

noun

A common sedimentary rock made mostly of calcium carbonate, formed from ancient marine deposits.

limey

noun

Informal, often used in American English: a British person.

limit

noun

The furthest point or greatest amount allowed or possible; a boundary.

limitation

noun

A restriction on what something can do or how far it can go; a shortcoming.

limited

adj

Restricted in size, amount, or scope; not extensive.

limiting

adj

Restricting what is possible; imposing a boundary or constraint.

limitless

adj

Having no boundary or upper limit; endless in size, extent, or quantity.

Limoges

name

A city in west-central France, historically the capital of the old Limousin region and known for its fine porcelain.

Limos

name

In Greek mythology, the personification of hunger and starvation, child of Eris.

limousine

noun

A large, luxurious car, often with a stretched body and a driver, used for chauffeuring passengers in comfort.

limp

verb

To walk unevenly, favoring one leg because of an injury or pain.

limping

noun

An uneven, halting way of walking, usually caused by injury or pain in a leg or foot.

lin

verb

(archaic) To stop or cease doing something.

Lina

name

A female first name, often a short form of longer names ending in -lina, such as Angelina or Carolina.

Linc

name

A nickname for the male given name Lincoln.

linchpin

noun

A pin pushed through the end of an axle to keep a wheel from sliding off.

Lincoln

noun

An American brand of luxury automobiles.

Lincolnshire

name

A county in eastern England, bordering the North Sea and several neighbouring counties.

lind

noun

Another name for the lime tree (linden tree).

Linda

name

A female first name of Germanic origin, historically linked to words meaning "gentle" or "soft."

Lindberg

name

A surname of Swedish origin.

Lindbergh

name

A surname, most famously associated with aviator Charles Lindbergh.

Linde

name

A surname of German, Dutch, or Scandinavian origin, referring to the linden (lime) tree; also a Spanish surname meaning "boundary."

linden

noun

A deciduous tree of the genus Tilia, with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant flowers; also called the lime tree.

Linder

name

A surname.

Linderman

name

A surname.

Lindley

name

A surname derived from any of several English place names.

Lindo

name

A surname, in English usage generally derived from the place name Lindow.

Lindsay

name

A Scottish and Irish surname, originally derived from the Lindsey district of Lincolnshire.

Lindsey

name

A historic district and former administrative division of Lincolnshire, England.

Lindstrom

name

A surname of Swedish origin.

lindy

noun

A energetic, partnered swing dance, sometimes called the Lindy Hop, that originated in Harlem in the 1920s-30s.

line

noun

A long, thin mark or stroke, straight or curved, on a surface.

lineage

noun

A line of descent traced from an ancestor; a family's ancestry or a sequence of generations.

linear

adj

Arranged in or resembling a straight line.

linebacker

noun

In American football, a defensive player positioned just behind the defensive line, responsible for stopping runs and covering short passes.

lined

adj

Having an inner layer of material added for warmth, protection, or comfort.

lineman

noun

A worker who installs and repairs overhead power or telephone lines.

linen

noun

A strong, cool fabric woven from flax fibers.

linens

noun

Household textiles such as bed sheets, tablecloths, and towels.

liner

noun

A large passenger ship that travels a regular route.

Lines

noun

Plural of "line" — marks, rows, sequences of words, or planned routes, among other senses.

lineup

noun

A group of suspects presented together so a witness can try to identify one of them.

ling

noun

A long, slender saltwater fish related to cod, used as food.

lingam

noun

A symbolic representation of the god Shiva, typically a smooth, upright stone form, worshipped in Hinduism.

linger

verb

To stay in a place longer than necessary, often reluctant to leave.

lingerie

noun

Women's underwear or nightwear, especially delicate or lacy styles.

lingo

noun

The specialized vocabulary or way of speaking used by a particular group, trade, or region; jargon.

linguist

noun

A scholar who studies the structure and history of language.

linguistic

adj

Relating to language or the study of language.

linguistics

noun

The academic study of language — its structure, sounds, meaning, and history.

lining

noun

A layer of material covering or added to the inside of something.

link

verb

To join two or more things together, or to show a connection between them.

linkage

noun

A connection or relationship between two things or ideas.

linked

adj

Connected to something else, whether physically or in cause and effect.

linking

adj

Serving to connect or join separate things.

links

noun

A golf course, especially one built on grassy dunes near the sea.

linn

noun

A waterfall, or the deep pool or ravine it forms.

linoleum

noun

A durable, wipeable floor covering originally made from hardened linseed oil on a canvas backing.

lint

noun

Small bits of soft fluff that collect on clothing or in pockets.

Linton

name

The name of several villages in England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Canada.

Linus

name

A male first name of Latin and Greek origin.

Linux

name

The free, open-source operating system kernel created by Linus Torvalds in 1991.

Linz

name

The capital of Upper Austria and the third-largest city in Austria.

lion

noun

A large, powerfully built wild cat native to Africa and parts of India, the male typically having a shaggy mane.

Lionel

name

A male given name from Latin of mostly British usage.

lioness

noun

A female lion.

Lionesses

noun

Plural of lioness; also a nickname for England's national women's football team.

lionheart

noun

A person of exceptional courage and bravery.

lip

noun

Either of the two fleshy edges around the mouth.

liposuction

noun

A cosmetic surgery procedure that removes excess fat from under the skin using suction.

lippy

adj

Cheeky, mouthy, or prone to talking back rudely.