English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

lips

noun

Plural of lip; the fleshy edges around the mouth.

lipstick

noun

A cosmetic, usually in stick form, applied to color the lips.

Lipton

name

A surname, also a well-known tea brand named after its founder.

liqueur

noun

A sweet, often strong alcoholic drink, usually served after a meal or used in cocktails.

liquid

noun

A substance, such as water, that flows freely and takes the shape of its container without a fixed shape of its own.

liquidate

verb

To convert assets into cash, often to pay off debts.

liquidated

adj

Having had assets converted to cash or a business formally wound up.

liquidation

noun

The process of closing down a business by selling its assets and settling debts.

liquidity

noun

A company's or market's ability to convert assets into cash quickly, or the availability of cash to meet short-term obligations.

liquor

noun

A strong distilled alcoholic drink, such as whisky, vodka, or gin.

liquorice

noun

British spelling of licorice: a black, strongly flavored candy or the plant root it is made from.

lira

noun

Turkey's basic unit of currency.

lire

noun

Plural of lira.

lis

noun

A legal dispute or lawsuit, as used in legal terminology.

Lisa

name

A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, a diminutive of Elisabeth.

Lisbon

name

A port city on the Iberian Peninsula, at the mouth of the Tagus River on the Atlantic Ocean; the capital city of Portugal.

Lise

name

A feminine given name of French or Scandinavian origin, a variant of Lisa.

Lisette

name

A feminine given name of French origin.

Lisi

name

An Italian surname.

lisp

verb

To pronounce the sounds 's' and 'z' as 'th', usually as a speech habit rather than deliberately.

lisping

noun

Speech affected by a lisp — where "s" and "z" sounds come out closer to "th".

list

noun

A series of names, items, or numbers written or said one after another.

listed

adj

Recorded on an official list.

listen

verb

To pay attention with your ears in order to hear something.

listener

noun

A person who listens, especially to a broadcast, speech, or another person talking.

listening

noun

The skill or act of paying attention to spoken sound.

lister

noun

Someone (or something) that makes or keeps a list.

listing

noun

A single entry in a list, directory, or catalogue.

listless

adj

Lacking energy or enthusiasm; tired and uninterested in doing anything.

Liston

name

A surname; also a village in Essex, England, and a village in New South Wales, Australia.

Liszt

name

A Hungarian surname, most famously borne by the composer and pianist Franz Liszt.

lit

verb

Past tense and past participle of light, used for setting something on fire or turning on a light.

Lita

name

A feminine given name; also a parish in Imbabura province, Ecuador.

litany

noun

A set of prayers recited in a call-and-response pattern between a leader and a congregation.

lite

adj

A deliberately simplified spelling of "light," used to mean low-calorie, low-fat, or stripped-down.

literacy

noun

The ability to read and write.

literally

adv

In a literal, exact sense; word for word, without exaggeration.

literary

adj

Relating to literature, especially fiction, poetry, and other creative writing.

literate

adj

Able to read and write.

literature

noun

Written works, especially novels, plays, and poetry, valued for their artistic quality.

lithium

noun

A soft, silvery metal that is the lightest of all metals, used in batteries (symbol Li, atomic number 3).

Lithuania

name

A country in northeastern Europe on the Baltic Sea, officially the Republic of Lithuania.

Lithuanian

adj

Relating to Lithuania, its people, or its language.

litigation

noun

The process of taking or defending a legal case in court.

litigator

noun

A lawyer who specializes in representing clients in court cases.

litre

noun

(UK/metric spelling) A unit of volume equal to one cubic decimetre, used for measuring liquids.

Litt

name

A surname.

litter

noun

Rubbish or trash left lying around in a public place.

littered

adj

Covered or scattered with trash or debris.

littering

noun

The act of dropping or leaving trash in a public place.

little

adj

Small in size.

Littlejohn

name

A surname, said to derive from a nickname.

Littleton

name

A common English place name and habitational surname, shared by many villages in England and towns in the United States.

Litton

name

A surname; also the name of several English villages, including in Derbyshire and North Yorkshire.

Liu

name

A common Chinese surname, from Mandarin 劉/刘 (liú) or Cantonese 廖 (liu⁶).

Liv

noun

A member of the Livonian people, an ethnic group native to the coast of present-day Latvia.

livable

adj

Fit to be lived in; tolerable or comfortable as a way of life.

live

verb

To be alive; to have life.

lived

adj

Having existed for a certain length of time (used in combinations like "short-lived" or "long-lived").

livelihood

noun

A means of earning enough to live on, such as a job, trade, or income source.

lively

adj

Full of energy and enthusiasm; active and spirited.

liven

verb

To make (or become) more lively, energetic, or interesting — usually followed by "up."

liver

noun

The large organ in the abdomen that filters the blood, processes nutrients, and removes toxins.

Liverpool

noun

A major port city in northwest England, on the River Mersey, known for its maritime history and music scene.

Livers

name

A surname of Dutch origin.

liverwurst

noun

A soft, spreadable sausage made mainly from liver.

livery

noun

A distinctive uniform worn by servants, chauffeurs, or members of a particular group.

livestock

noun

Animals kept on a farm, such as cattle, sheep, or pigs, raised for food, labour, or other products.

Livia

name

A feminine given name of Latin origin.

livid

adj

Extremely angry; furious.

lividity

noun

The state of being livid, especially a bluish or purplish discolouration of the skin.

livin

noun

A protein in the body that blocks cells from undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis), and which is often found at abnormally high levels in tumours.

living

adj

Alive, currently existing (as opposed to dead or extinct).

Livingston

name

A surname of Scottish origin, also a town in West Lothian, Scotland, and the name of several towns in the United States.

Livingstone

name

A Scottish surname, variant of Livingston; also a city in Zambia named after explorer David Livingstone.

Livvie

name

A feminine given name, typically a diminutive of Olivia.

Livvy

name

A diminutive of the feminine given name Olivia.

Livy

name

The English name of Titus Livius, a Roman historian; also used as a diminutive of Olivia.

Liz

name

A diminutive of the feminine given name Elizabeth.

Liza

noun

The white mullet, a fish found in subtropical American coastal waters.

lizard

noun

A reptile with four legs, a long tail, and (usually) scaly skin, distinct from snakes.

Lizzie

name

A diminutive of the feminine given name Elizabeth.

Lizzy

noun

Slang for money, from the image of Queen Elizabeth II on British and Commonwealth coins.

ll

noun

Abbreviation for "lines," used the way "pp." is used for "pages."

llama

noun

A South American pack animal related to the camel, kept for its wool and as a beast of burden.

Llewellyn

name

A masculine given name of Welsh origin, also used as a surname.

LLL

name

Abbreviation for La Leche League, an international non-profit organisation that promotes breastfeeding.

Lloyd

name

A Welsh surname, originally a nickname for someone with grey hair, also used as a masculine given name.

lo

intj

An old-fashioned exclamation used to draw attention to something, meaning roughly "look" or "behold."

load

verb

To put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage.

loaded

adj

Carrying or filled with a heavy load.

Loader

name

A surname, variant of Loder.

loading

noun

The process of putting a load onto something, or of a computer/webpage preparing data to display.

loads

adv

Informal: lots; a large amount.

loaf

noun

A shaped mass of baked bread, or a similarly shaped block of another food.

loafer

noun

A person who avoids work and idles their time away.

loafing

noun

Idle, lazy behaviour; spending time doing nothing productive.

loan

noun

A sum of money lent to someone on the understanding that it will be paid back, often with interest.

loaner

noun

A person or organization that lends money or property.

loaning

noun

The act of lending something out.

loath

adj

Reluctant or unwilling to do something.

loathe

verb

To hate or feel intense disgust toward someone or something.

loathing

noun

A strong feeling of hatred or disgust.

loathsome

adj

Extremely unpleasant or disgusting; causing hatred or revulsion.

lob

verb

To throw, hit, or kick something in a slow, high arc.

lobby

noun

An entrance hall or waiting area in a building.

lobbying

noun

The activity of trying to influence politicians or officials on behalf of a cause or group.

lobbyist

noun

A person paid to influence politicians or officials on behalf of a group or cause.

lobe

noun

A rounded, projecting part of an organ or structure, especially of the brain, lung, or ear.

lobo

noun

A wolf, especially the grey wolf of North America.

lobotomy

noun

A now largely abandoned brain surgery that severs connections in the frontal lobe, once used to treat severe mental illness.

lobster

noun

A large marine crustacean with a hard shell and large front claws, turning red when cooked and prized as seafood.

loc

noun

A dreadlock.

local

adj

Belonging to or existing in a particular, nearby area.

locale

noun

The particular place where something happens or is set.

locality

noun

A particular area or neighbourhood, especially one being discussed for its own character.

localized

adj

Limited to a particular, small area rather than spread widely.

locally

adv

In or from the immediate, nearby area.

locate

verb

To find the exact position of something.

location

noun

A particular place or position.

locator

noun

A device, tool, or code used to find the position of something.

loch

noun

A lake, or a narrow inlet of the sea, especially in Scotland.

lock

noun

A device that fastens something shut, opened only with a key, code, or similar means.

lockbox

noun

A small, lockable box used to store valuables or keys securely.

lockdown

noun

A period in which people are required to stay in a confined place or area, usually for safety during an emergency.

Locke

name

An English surname, most famously borne by the philosopher John Locke.

locked

adj

Fastened shut, or fixed firmly in place, typically by a lock.

locker

noun

A small, lockable storage compartment, often found in schools, gyms, or workplaces.

locket

noun

A small pendant, often worn on a necklace, that opens to hold a photograph or keepsake.

Lockhart

name

A surname; also the name of several towns in the United States and a shire in New South Wales, Australia.

Locking

noun

The act or process of fastening something with a lock, or of fixing something firmly in place so it cannot move.

lockjaw

noun

A common name for tetanus, a disease that causes severe muscle spasms, especially in the jaw.

lockout

noun

A situation in which an employer bars workers from a workplace, usually during a labor dispute.

locks

noun

Strands or tresses of hair, viewed collectively.

Locksley

name

A place name, notably associated with Robin Hood; also a locality in New South Wales, Australia.

locksmith

noun

Someone whose trade is making, fitting, and repairing locks and keys.

lockup

noun

A jail cell, or a short spell locked up in one.

Lockwood

name

An English habitational surname, also the name of several places in England, the US, and Australia.

loco

adj

Crazy or out of one's mind (informal).

locomotive

noun

The engine unit that pulls the carriages or wagons of a train.

locus

noun

A particular place, especially one seen as a centre of activity.

locust

noun

A swarming grasshopper that devastates crops and vegetation in huge numbers.

lode

noun

A vein of metal-bearing ore running through rock.

Loder

name

A surname, either an English occupational or topographic name, or a German occupational surname for a cloth weaver.

lodge

verb

To become firmly fixed in a particular position.

lodged

adj

Firmly stuck or fixed in place.

lodger

noun

A person who pays to live in a room in someone else's house.

lodging

noun

A place to stay, or accommodation rented for a period.

lodgings

noun

A rented room or set of rooms within someone else's house.

Lodi

name

A province and city in Lombardy, Italy; also the name of several towns in the United States, including in California and New Jersey.