Commonly used english part 47 potx

lead Idioms lead a dog`s life - live a hard life, work hard and be treated unkindly He says that he has been leading a dog`s life since he started his new job.. lead/live the life of Ri

lay one's hands on (something)

- find something, acquire something

If I can lay my hands on a slide projector, I will show you the pictures of my holiday tonight

lay out (money)

- spend or pay some money

My friend will have to lay out a lot of money for his new apartment

lay out (something)

- plan something

We will lay out our plan for the new building at the next meeting

to lay over

- to arrive somewhere and wait some time before continuing a journey

We were told that we will have to lay over in London for nine hours before we go on

to Kenya

lay (someone) to rest

- to bury someone

We laid my uncle to rest in a nice ceremony last night

lay (something) on (someone)

- direct blame or guilt on someone

The company tried to lay the computer problems on one of the managers

lay (something) on the line

- speak directly and firmly about something

The librarian finally had to lay it on the line and told everyone not to bring drinks into the library

lay (something) to rest

- to put an end to a rumor, to finish dealing with a problem and forget about it

We want to lay to rest the rumors about the financial problems in the company

lay the blame on (someone or something)

- blame someone or something

We laid the blame on my friend for making us late for the concert

lay the groundwork for (something)

- to build the foundation or basis of something, to do the basic work that will lead to future success

The new training program will lay the groundwork for the future success of the company

lay up (a vessel)

- take a vessel out of active service, put a boat in a boat dock or a garage

The weather was getting cold so they decided to lay up their boat for the winter

lay up (something)

- collect a supply of something, save something for future use, store something

We are planning to lay up some canned fruit for the winter

lay waste (to something)

- destroy and leave something in ruins, wreck something

The army troops laid waste to the enemy territory

.

layaway plan

- a plan in which someone pays part of some money that is owed and then pays the rest later and the store keeps the item until the full price has been paid

I decided to buy the television set on the department store`s layaway plan

lead Idioms

lead a dog`s life

- live a hard life, work hard and be treated unkindly

He says that he has been leading a dog`s life since he started his new job

lead off

- begin, start, open

The golfer was the first to lead off in the tournament

lead (someone) by the nose

- have full control of someone, make or persuade someone to do what you want

He isn`t very aggressive and always lets his boss lead him by the nose

lead (someone) down the garden path

- deceive someone

The woman was leading her boyfriend down the garden path when she promised to marry him

lead (someone) on

- insincerely encourage someone

I think my friend was leading me on when he told me about the new job

lead (someone) on a merry chase

- lead someone on a chase with no purpose

The criminal led the police on a merry chase before they finally arrested him

lead (someone) to believe (something)

- imply something to someone

The salesman led me to believe that he would be able to deliver the product within a week

lead (someone) to do (something)

- cause someone to do something

The loud scream from the dining room led the chef to ruin his main dish of the

evening

lead/live the life of Riley

- live an easy life of luxury, live a pleasant life

My father has been leading the life of Riley since he retired from his job

lead the way

- go first and show others how to go somewhere, guide someone

I had to lead the way because nobody knew where the new office was located

lead up to (something)

- prepare the way for something

The concerts in the park were leading up to the final band contest of the music

festival

.

a leading question

- a question that suggests the kind of answer that you want to hear

The lawyer asked the man a leading question when he asked him why he had lied about the money He had never lied about money

leaf through (something)

- look through a book/magazine/newspaper without reading it in detail

I leafed through several magazines while I was sitting in the doctor's office

leak out (something)

- disclose special/secret information to the press

The information about the illegal donations were leaked out to the press

lean on (someone)

lean over backwards (to do something or to help someone)

- do everything possible to please someone

My cousin leaned over backwards to help my father when he was sick

lean toward (doing something)

- tend toward doing something

At the moment we are leaning toward buying a laptop computer rather than a desktop computer

leap to conclusions

- decide something without having all the facts

Our teacher leaped to conclusions when she accused the boy of breaking the window

learn (something) by heart

- memorize something

I quickly learned my library card number by heart

learn (something) by rote

- memorize something without thinking about what is being learned

The children learned the material by rote but they didn't really understand it

learn (something) from the bottom up

- learn something thoroughly from the beginning

The young man learned about the company from the bottom up before his father retired

learn (something) the hard way

- learn something by experience (often something unpleasant)

The young man learned things the hard way when he was sent to jail for stealing the computer

learn the ropes

- learn how to do a job

He is a new employee and is still learning the ropes

learn to live with (something)

- learn to adapt to something unpleasant or painful

My mother and father must learn to live with not having a supermarket next door to them

least of all

- the least, of smallest importance

I don't like any of the choices offered, least of all the one that we were forced to choose

leave Idioms

leave a bad taste in one`s mouth

- leave a bad impression, make one feel disgusted

The way that the company fired the workers left a bad taste in everyone`s mouth

leave a lot to be desired

- be inadequate

leave no stone unturned

- try in every way to do something, do everything possible

The police left no stone unturned when they were looking for the little girl who was lost

leave one to one's fate

- abandon someone to whatever may happen

The tour was suddenly canceled and we were left to our fate regarding an attempt to get our money refunded

leave one's mark on (someone or something)

- affect the behavior and performance of another person or of something

The former president left his mark on the way that the company was run for many years after he retired

leave oneself wide open for (something)

- fail to protect oneself from criticism or ridicule

The actions of our manager left him wide open for criticism from everybody in our company

leave (someone) alone

- to not disturb someone

"Please leave me alone so I can finish this essay."

leave (someone or something) behind

- leave someone or something somewhere

I left my coat behind in the restaurant

leave (someone) flat

- fail to entertain or stimulate someone, leave someone with no money

My friend's attempt at making a joke left everyone in the room flat

leave (someone) for dead

- abandon someone as being dead

The hiker was left for dead when the rescue group could find no indication of where

he was

leave (someone) high and dry

- leave someone helpless

The employees were left high and dry when the company went out of business

leave (someone) holding the bag

- leave someone to take the blame for something

My friend left me holding the bag when he ran away from the accident

leave (someone or something) in (someone's) hands

- give someone control of or responsibility for someone or something

I left the planning for the barbecue in my father's hands

leave (someone) in peace

- stop bothering someone

The woman was happy when her family went out and left her in peace for several hours

leave (someone) in the lurch

- desert or leave someone alone and in trouble, refuse to help or support someone

My coworker left me in the lurch when he didn`t come and help me as he had

promised earlier in the day

leave (someone) out in the cold

- exclude someone

We made an effort not to leave my friend out in the cold when we were planning the birthday party

leave (something) hanging (in the air)

- leave something undecided or unsettled

Whether or not they will be leaving next year was left hanging in the air at the end of the meeting

leave (something) on

- leave something running or operating

I always leave the lights on when I am working around the house

leave (something) open

- leave a date or time unscheduled

I plan to leave next Wednesday open so that I can meet my friend for lunch

leave (something) out

- omit something

He told me about the accident but he left out some of the main points