Definitions of
sound-alike words: L
- elapse
- (of time) pass by, as in: Three minutes elapsed before her page had completely loaded--too many graphics!
- lapse
- (1)to slip or fall, as in: When the announcement
came, we all lapsed into silence.
- (2)to lose effect, as in: Your insurance policy will lapse if you don't pay the premiums.
- relapse
- a slip backwards, as in: Just when we thought he was going to get well, he suffered a relapse.
- last
- final in a series or the one before the current one, as in: I went to the theater last week.
- latest
- most recent or current, as in: I haven't read the latest novel by my favorite author yet.
- later
- comparative form of late, as in: The teacher came in later than the students.
- latter
- second of two mentioned, as in: I saw Barbara and
Betty this morning, and the latter said to give you her best wishes.
- lath
- wire mesh or narrow strip of wood, as in: The historical house featured walls of lath and plaster.
- lathe
- woodworking machine, as in: He shaped the legs for
the chair on his lathe.
- lay
- (1) place or put something, as in: Lay the book on the table.
- (2) past tense of lie, as in: I lay awake many nights that summer, worrying about him.
- lie
- recline, rest, or stay, as in: I felt faint and
needed to lie down.
- lye
- strong alkaline chemical solution, as in: It is
dangerous to have a product containing lye near children or pets.
- lead
- silvery gray metal often used in pencils, as in: I
need a new lead for my mechanical pencil.
- led
- was out in front or conducted or guided, as in: Our team led the league for two seasons.
- lean
- (1) tilt, as in: Lean closer so I can whisper in your ear.
- (2) thin, as in: The stranger was tall and lean.
- lien
- legal claim on someone's property, as in: If you
don't pay your debt I will place a lien on your property.
- leased
- contracted to use for a specified period of time, as in: They decided a leased car was better.
- least
- smallest, as in: He gave attention to all the
children, even the least.
- legislator
- member of a lawmaking body, as in: I wrote a letter to the legislator to see if she could help.
- legislature
- a lawmaking body, as in: The legislature meets in the state capital.
- lessen
- decrease,diminish, as in: Buckling your seat belt
will lessen the chance of injury in an accident.
- lesson
- unit of instruction, as in: My favorite science lesson was the one about the butterflies.
- lessee
- person to whom a lease is granted, as in: The lessee must promise to keep the house in good condition.
- lesser
- smaller in quantity, quality, extent, degree, or
importance, as in: After the scandal, he accepted a lesser position in the company.
- lessor
- person granting the lease, as in: The lessor will be paid the sum of $700 per month.
- levee
- embankment along a river to prevent flooding, as in : The townspeople felt much safer once the levee was completed.
- levy
- impose or collect, as in: The government has the
right to levy taxes.
- liable
- legally responsible, as in: When he lost his case, he was found liable for millions of dollars in damages.
- libel
- maliciously damaging someone's reputation in print, as in: When the book came out, the author was sued for libel by three different people.
- lightening
- making brighter or less heavy, as in: Better computer programs are lightening the load for many office workers.
- lighting
- illumination, as in: I need better lighting to read the small print in this book.
- lightning
- visible electrical discharge in the atmosphere, as in: Flashes of lightning illuminated the night sky.
- loan
- something given temporarily, as in: Remember, this
book is a loan, not a gift.
- lone
- solitary, or unaccompanied, as in: The man was the lone passenger on the bus.
- local
- limited to a particular place, as in: The local people were amazed at the number of visitors to their town.
- locale
- location, site, or spot, as in: This town would make a charming locale for your next book.
- loose
- not tight or confined, as in: Someone left the gate open and my dog got loose.
- lose
- misplace or fail, as in: I don't care if I win or lose, I just enjoy playing the game.
- loss
- that which is lost, as in: Even if we didn't make a very large profit this year, it's still better than a loss.
This list of definitions can't replace your dictionary. Rather
than discussing every possible meaning of the words on this list,
I try to show how one word differs from another in a group of words that sound or
look very much alike.
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