Commonly used english part 46 doc

know when one is not wanted - sense when one's presence is not welcome I know when I am not wanted so I decided not to go to the restaurant.. know which side one`s bread is buttered on -

know what's what

- know the facts about something

It was difficult to determine what's what with the man's problem

know when one is not wanted

- sense when one's presence is not welcome

I know when I am not wanted so I decided not to go to the restaurant

know where (someone) stands on (something)

- know what someone thinks or feels about someone or something

I do not know where the mayor stands on the issue of the new parking fees

know which is which

- be able to distinguish one thing or person from another

I saw my aunt's dog and my cousin's dog at my aunt's house but I don't know which is which

know which side one`s bread is buttered on

- know who can help you and try to please him or her, know what is good for oneself

He is careful not to make his boss angry He knows which side his bread is buttered

on

a known fact

- something that is generally recognized as a fact

It is a known fact that more people get colds in the winter than in the summer

a known quantity

- someone or something that is known and understood

The new employee is a known quantity in our office because he worked here before

knuckle down (to something)

- begin to work earnestly

I think it is time that we knuckle down and finish this project

knuckle under

- yield, submit

The union finally knuckled under from the pressure and ended the strike

L

a labor of love

- something done for personal pleasure and not for money

The man's book is a labor of love and he doesn`t expect to make any money from it

lace into (someone)

- attack or scold someone

The mother laced into her child when he came home late from the movie

lace into (something)

- devour/eat food

We laced into our dinner as soon as we entered the house

lady killer

- a man who some women find very charming and attractive

The man in the movie was a lady killer who broke the hearts of many women

lady`s man

- a man who is popular with women

He is a lady`s man and always seems to have a woman interested in him

laid-back

- relaxed, not worried by things

Our teacher has a very laid-back attitude about how long we should spend preparing for our class

be laid up

- be confined to bed or unfit for work

He has been laid up for a few days because of a cold

a lame duck

- a public official who has a short time left to serve in office and therefore has less power than before

He was a lame-duck leader so it was difficult for him to accomplish some things

land of Nod

- sleep

I entered the land of Nod as soon as my head hit the pillow

land on one`s feet/both feet

- come out of a bad situation successfully

My friend always manages to land on his feet no matter how difficult the situation is

land up (somewhere or in some situation)

- come to be in a certain place or situation

We landed up in the suburbs although we were trying to go downtown

landslide victory

- a very substantial victory (usually in an election)

My favorite candidate won a landslide victory in the election

lap up (something)

lap up (something)

- eagerly take in or accept some information/praise

He lapped up the praise that his boss gave him for the recently completed project

lapse into a coma

- go into a coma

The woman lapsed into a coma soon after the accident

lash out (at someone)

- attack someone with words

They were walking along the beach when the girl suddenly lashed out in anger at her boyfriend

lash out (at someone)

- suddenly try to hit someone

The boy suddenly lashed out and hit the man who was sitting beside him

last but not least

- in the last place but not the least important

Last but not least the boy came up to the front of the class to receive his report card

a last-ditch effort

- a final effort

The government made a last-ditch effort to prevent a strike by the teachers

the last person

- the most unlikely person to do something or to be seen somewhere

My friend is the last person that you would expect to see in a clothing store buying clothes

the last straw

- the last insult or mistake that one can endure and which then causes some reaction

The fourth time that the girl came to work late was the last straw and we finally fired her

last will and testament

- one's will (especially its latest version)

After my grandfather's funeral my uncle read out his last will and testament

the last word

- the last remark in an argument, the final say in deciding something

She always expects to have the last word when she and her husband go shopping together

late in life

- when one is older

Some very great painters never started painting until rather late in life

late in the day

- far along in a project or activity

We received some new instructions for our marketing effort but it was a little late in the day to change our plans

laugh all the way to the bank

- make money in a way that other people think is impossible

I was laughing all the way to the bank with the money that I made from selling drinks

at the sports stadium

laugh off (something)

- to not take something seriously

The man laughed off the attempt by his boss to make him come to work on time

laugh out of the other side of one's mouth

- change from being happy to being sad

My friend was laughing out of the other side of his mouth when he learned that he would get a ticket for parking his car in the wrong place

laugh (something) out of court

- dismiss (a legal case) as being ridiculous

They laughed the case out of court when the woman tried to sue the dog's owner after the dog ate her flowers

laugh up one's sleeve

- laugh quietly to oneself

I was laughing up my sleeve when I learned that my friend would have to clean the bathroom at work and not me

launch forth (on something)

- start out on something

Our boss launched forth on a long criticism of how we were doing our jobs

a law unto oneself

- one who makes one's own laws or rules

The city council member thought that she was a law unto herself until she resigned because of a scandal

lay Idioms

not lay a finger/hand on (someone)

- not touch someone, not do something to someone

The man was told by the police never to lay a finger on his wife again

lay an egg

- fail to win the interest or favor of an audience

Although the magician was supposed to be good, his performance was terrible and it laid an egg with the audience

lay away (something)

- save something

The couple are trying to lay away some money for their holiday next year

lay down one's life (for someone or something)

- sacrifice one's life for someone or something

The young man layed down his life trying to protect the property of his company

lay down the law

- tell someone what to do by using your power or influence

lay eyes on (someone or something)

- see someone or something

I have never laid eyes on a more beautiful dog in my life

lay hold of (something)

- get possession of something

If I can lay hold of some tools I will help you fix your toilet

lay in (something)

- store up a supply of something, get and store something for future use

They are trying to lay in as much food as possible before winter comes

lay/light into (someone)

- attack someone with words

As soon as I came into work this morning my boss laid/lit into me about my poor sales performance last month

lay/light into (something)

- do/eat something with much energy and enthusiasm

He laid into the steak as soon as the waiter brought it to his table

lay it on thick

- praise someone too much

My friend began to lay it on thick when I told him about my new job

lay low

- to hide, to keep out of sight for a period of time

He decided to lay low until his friend forgot that he had damaged his car

the lay of the land

- the features of an area of land or of an organization

We checked out the lay of the land before we put up our tent and made a camping site

lay off (someone)

- stop bothering someone, leave someone alone

The coach told the players to lay off the new player so that he could relax before the game

lay off (something)

- stop using or taking something bad (alcohol/drugs/chocolate/cigarettes)

I was told by my doctor to lay off smoking or I would be sick in the future

lay off (workers/staff)

- reduce the number of workers when business is bad

Six hundred workers at the automobile factory were recently laid off

lay one`s cards on the table

- let someone know one`s position and feelings openly, deal honestly with something

He decided to lay his cards on the table and tell his boss about the job offer from the other company

lay one's hands on (someone)

- do violence to someone, harm/hurt someone

The man said that if he ever lays hands on the person who stole his car he will take him directly to the police