Phrasal Verbs/L
Phrasal verbs beginning with L. Select a phrasal verb for more details.lash out
to verbally or physically attack someone or something
laugh off
to joke about something in order to make it seem less serious
launch into
to start off something, like a speech or a song, in an energetic way
lay aside
to keep something for the future, such as money
lay down
to officially state something like a policy, or rules, regulations, conditions, guidelines, etc.
lay into (1) INFORMAL
to attack someone and repeatedly punch and kick them
lay into (2) INFORMAL
If you lay into someone, you criticize them in an angry way.
lay off
If you lay someone off, you stop employing them and tell them they no longer have a job.
lay out (1)
If you lay things out, you spread them out so they're easy to see or easy to use.
lay out (2)
to explain an idea or a plan clearly and in detail
laze around
to relax and do very little
lead to
to cause something to happen
lead up to
If a period of time or a series of events leads up to a particular event, it happens just before it.
leave behind
If you left something behind, you forgot to bring it with you.
leave in
If you leave something in, you don't take it out or cut it out.
leave out
If you leave something out, you don't include it or count it.
leave to
to give someone responsibility for dealing with something or making a decision about something
leave up to
If you leave something up to someone, you let them do it or you give them responsibility for it.
let down (1)
If you let someone down, you disappoint them by not doing what they expect you to do.
let down (2)
to release the air from something like a tyre or a blow-up mattress
let go of
to stop holding something or someone
let in
If you let someone in, you allow them to enter a room or a building.
let off (1)
to give someone little or no punishment for doing something wrong
let off (2)
to make something explode
let out (1)
to allow somebody or something to leave a place
let out (2)
to make a particular sound or noise
let out (3)
to rent a room or a building to somebody
let up
to become weaker or to become less intense
level with INFORMAL
If you level with someone, you tell them the truth about something.
lie down
to lie on a flat surface, such as a bed, usually to have a rest
lift up
to move something to a higher position
light up
If something lights up, it becomes full of light or colour.
lighten up INFORMAL
to become less serious or more easy-going
line up
If you line up, you join a line of people standing one behind the other, or side by side.
listen in
to try to hear what people are saying when they don't know you're listening
live down
to have people forget about something embarrassing or silly that you've done
live for
to believe that something or someone gives your life meaning, or gives you a reason to live
live off
to depend on something for the money or food you need to live
live on
If you live on a certain amount of money, you spend that much on your usual living expenses.
live together
If two people live together, they live in the same place and are in a sexual relationship without being married.
live up to
to be as good as expected
live with
to accept something in your life that you cannot change, even though you don't like it or want it
lock up
to lock the doors and windows of a building or a car to make it secure
log in
to do certain things, like typing in a username and password, in order to access an online application or a computer network
log out
to stop accessing a computer system, or to stop using an online application
long for
to want something you miss very much
look after
to make sure something or someone has everything they need and is healthy
look at (1)
to focus your eyes on something
look at (2)
to think carefully before doing something
look back on
If you look back on something, you think about a period of time in the past or an event in the past.
look down on
to think that someone is not as good as you are, or not as important as you are
look for
If you are looking for something, you're trying to find it.
look forward to
If you're looking forward to something that's going to happen, you feel excited or happy about it.
look into
If you look into something, you investigate it or you try to find out more about it.
look on
to watch an event or an activity without being involved in it
Look out!
If someone is in immediate danger, you can warn them by shouting "Look out!".
look up (1)
to try to find out something by looking in a reference book or on a reference website
look up (2)
If a situation is looking up, it seems to be getting better.
look up to
If someone looks up to another person, they respect or admire them.
lose out
If you lose out, you fail to benefit from something that others are benefitting from.