A to Z Idioms

Leveraging 'L' Idioms for Effective Communication

Introduction to 'L' Idioms and Their Usage

1. Labour of Love

   • "Building the community garden was a labour of love for her."

2. Lacklustre

   • "The team's performance was lacklustre, lacking energy and enthusiasm."

3. Laid Hands On

   • "He was reprimanded for having laid hands on his colleague during the argument."

4. Lame Excuse

   • "He gave a lame excuse for missing the deadline, which nobody believed."

5. Last but Not Least

   • "Last but not least, let's thank our final speaker for his insightful comments."

6. Laugh in One's Sleeve

   • "They laughed in their sleeves at the absurdity of the situation."

7. Laugh to Scorn

   • "The old technology was laughed to scorn by the new generation."

8. Laughing Stock

   • "His constant mistakes at work made him the laughing stock of the office."

9. Lay a Guilt Trip On

   • "She laid a guilt trip on me for not attending her party."

10. Lay Someone Up

    • "His injury laid him up for several weeks."

11. Lay Something Aside

    • "Let's lay our differences aside and work together."

12. Lay Something On

    • "The host laid on a lavish spread for the guests."

13. Lay Something Up

    • "He's laying up supplies for the winter."

14. Lead by the Nose

    • "She was so persuasive that she could lead anyone by the nose."

15. Lead Someone On

    • "He was accused of leading her on with false promises."

16. Lead Up to Something

    • "The events of the morning led up to the big announcement."

17. Learn Something by Heart

    • "She learned the poem by heart for the recital."

18. Leave a Bad Taste in One's Mouth

    • "The way the meeting ended left a bad taste in everyone's mouth."

19. Leave in the Lurch

    • "He left his team in the lurch by quitting abruptly."

20. Leave No Stone Unturned

    • "The detective left no stone unturned in the investigation."

21. Leave Somebody Holding the Baby

    • "When he resigned suddenly, he left his assistant holding the baby."

22. Left No Stone Unturned

    • "To find her lost dog, she left no stone unturned."

23. Lend Me Your Ear

    • "Please lend me your ear while I explain the instructions."

24. Lend Someone a Hand

    • "Can you lend me a hand with moving these boxes?"

25. Let Bygones Be Bygones

    • "After their argument, they decided to let bygones be bygones."

26. Let On

    • "He didn't let on that he knew about the surprise party."

27. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

    • "I wouldn't ask about his past; it's better to let sleeping dogs lie."

28. Let Someone Down

    • "I really let my team down by not showing up on time."

29. Let Someone Out

    • "The judge decided to let him out on bail."

30. Let Something Off

    • "The kids let off fireworks in the backyard."

31. Let the Cat Out of the Bag

    • "He accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the upcoming merger."

32. Let Up

    • "The rain didn't let up for hours."

33. Lie In

    • "On Sundays, I usually lie in until late morning."

34. Lie in the Bed You Have Made

    • "You must lie in the bed you have made and face the consequences of your actions."

35. Lie Through One's Teeth

    • "He was lying through his teeth when he said he hadn't seen the document."

36. Like Clockwork

    • "The event went like clockwork, with no hiccups."

37. Like a Bear with a Sore Head

    • "He's been like a bear with a sore head ever since he lost the game."

38. Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel

    • "Winning the debate against an uninformed opponent was like shooting fish in a barrel."

39. Like Taking Candy from a Baby

    • "Getting the toddler to give up the toy was like taking candy from a baby."

40. Line Up

    • "We need to line up some interviews for next week."

41. Lion's Share

    • "He received the lion's share of the inheritance."

42. Live and Let Live

    • "I believe in live and let live; everyone should lead the life they choose."

43. Live from Hand to Mouth

    • "After losing his job, he's been living from hand to mouth."

44. Live Something Down

    • "It took years for him to live down the embarrassment of that moment."

45. Live Up To

    • "He always tries to live up to his parents' expectations."

46. Lives by His Wits

    • "Without a stable job, he lives by his wits in the city."

47. Loaves and Fishes

    • "Many believe politicians are only in it for the loaves and fishes."

48. Lock, Stock and Barrel

    • "He sold the business lock, stock, and barrel."

49. Look After Someone/Something

    • "Can you look after my dog while I'm away?"

50. Look Blank

    • "When asked about the incident, he just looked blank."

51. Look Down On Someone/Something

    • "She tends to look down on anyone who hasn't had a college education."

52. Look Forward To

    • "I'm really looking forward to the holidays."

53. Look In

    • "I'll look in on you later to see how you're doing."

54. Look Into Something

    • "The committee will look into the issue and report back."

55. Look On

    • "Everyone could only look on as the building burned."

56. Look On Someone

    • "She looks on him as her mentor."

57. Look Out

    • "Look out! There's a car coming."

58. Look Out for Someone/Something

    • "Always look out for your younger siblings."

59. Look Over Someone/Something

    • "Please look over the report for any errors."

60. Look Small

    • "After the scandal, he looked small in front of his peers."

61. Look Someone Up

    • "If you're ever in town, be sure to look me up."

62. Look Something Up

    • "I didn't know the word, so I looked it up in the dictionary."

63. Look To Someone

    • "Many people look to him for guidance."

64. Look To Your Laurels

    • "You should look to your laurels in this fast-evolving industry."

65. Look Up

    • "Things are starting to look up for the company."

66. Look Up to Someone

    • "She has always looked up to her grandmother."

67. Loose Cannon

    • "He's a loose cannon; you never know what he might say or do next."

68. Loose Ends

    • "Before we finish the project, we need to tie up all the loose ends."

69. Lose One's Head

    • "In an emergency, it's important not to lose one's head."

70. Losing Ground

    • "The political party is losing ground in the polls."

71. Lousy

    • "The weather has been lousy all week."

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Conclusion: Expanding Your English Proficiency with 'L' Idioms

You have now broadened your understanding of idioms, starting with 'L'. These phrases can significantly enhance your ability to express ideas and feelings in English. For any inquiries or more lessons, visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/learningenglishfree.co.uk.