Barron GRE word list - L

labile likely to change; unstable; Ex. emotionally labile; N. lability

laborious demanding much work or care; tedious
labyrinth maze
cord used to draw and tie together two opposite edges (as of a shoe);
lace
delicate fabric made of fine threads; V: draw together by tying a lace
torn ragged wound; V. lacerate: tear (the skin as with broken glass);
laceration
wound
lachrymose producing tears; tearful
lacking interest or effort; lacking purpose or zest; lazy; halfhearted;
lackadaisical
languid
lackluster lacking luster(shine; gloss); dull
laconic brief and to the point; using few words; terse
lag move or develop more slowly; straggle; Ex. lag behind the rest; N.
laggard slow; sluggish; N: one who lags; straggler
shallow body of water or lake near a sea; lake separated from a sea by
lagoon
sandbars or coral reefs
laity laypersons; laymen; persons not connected with the clergy
lament grieve; express sorrow; N. lamentation
ridicule; N: written attack ridiculing or satirizing a person, group, or
lampoon
institution
lance pierce with a lance; cut into; N: spearlike weapon
lancet small surgical tool for making incisions
languid lacking energy or vitality; weary; sluggish; listless
languish lose animation or strength
languor lack of physical or mental energy; lassitude; depression
lank long and thin; Ex. Lank, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln
take in food or drink with one's tongue; splash gently; Ex. waves
lap lapping the shore; N: front area from the waist to the knees of a
seated person
larceny theft; Ex. petit larceny
larder pantry; place where food is kept
largess generous gift (given to people who do not have enough)
lascivious lustful
lassitude languor; weariness; listlessness
latch fastening or lock consisting of a movable bar that fits into a notch; V:
 close with a latch
present but not yet noticeable or active; dormant; hidden; N. latency;
latent
CF. potential
lateral of or coming from the side
latitude freedom from narrow limitations
praise; N. ADJ. laudable: praiseworthy; ADJ. laudatory: expressing
laud
praise
liberal; wasteful; generous or wasteful in giving or using; abundant;
lavish
profuse; great; Ex. decorated lavishly; V. give in abundance
lax careless; negligent; not paying enough attention; Ex. lax service
layman man who is not a cleric; man who is nonprofessional
restraining rope fastened to the collar of an animal (to control it); Ex. a
leash
dog on a leash
add leaven to; cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven; N: agent, such as
leaven yeast, that causes dough to rise (by fermentation); element that
lightens or enlivens
leave-taking farewell or departure
lechery gross lewdness; lustfulness; ADJ. lecherous; N. lecher: lecherous man
lectern reading desk or stand for a public speaker
leery (of someone) suspicious; wary; cautious
leeway room to move; margin; latitude; Ex. leeway for the deadline
legacy gift made by a will; something handed down from an ancestor
legato (of music) played smoothly
legend explanatory list of symbols on a map
legerdemain sleight(dexterity) of hand; CF. light of hand
legislature legislating branch of government; CF. legislate: make laws
mildness; permissiveness; ADJ. lenient: not severe in judgment or
leniency
punishment
leonine like a lion
lethal deadly
lethargic drowsy; dull; N. lethargy: state of sluggishness and inactivity
levee earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding; CF. raise
levitate rise and float in the air (especially by magical means); CF. light
levity lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity; lightness of manner
impose (a fine); collect (a payment); impose or collect (a tax); Ex. levy
levy
a tax on tobacco
lewd lustful
compiler of a dictionary; CF. lexicography: work of compiling a
lexicographer
dictionary
lexicon dictionary
drawback; handicap; debts; obligation; responsibility; condition of
liability
being liable; ADJ. liable: likely; responsible (for paying)
contact that keeps parties in communication; communication between
liaison groups; one that maintains communication; go-between; secret love
affair; V. liaise: keep a connection
defamatory written statement; act of writing something that smears a
libel
person's character; V. ADJ. libelous
libertine debauched person; dissolute or licentious person; rou\'e; CF. free
libidinous lustful
psychic and emotional energy or urges behind human activity; sexual
libido
desire
libretto text of an opera or oratorio; CF. book
official or legal permission; latitude of action or speech; excessive
license
freedom that causes harm or damage; V.
licentious amoral; lewd and lascivious; unrestrained
lien legal claim or right on a property
ligneous like wood
lilliputian extremely small; CF. Lilliput in Gulliver's Travels
limber flexible; supple; pliable; V.
region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept; prison (slang);
limbo
Ex. Purgatory and Limbo
limn draw; outline; describe; CF. line ?
limp walk lamely; ADJ: lacking firmness; weak
limpid crystal clear
lineage descent; ancestry
features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face;
lineaments
CF. line
loiter or dawdle; be slow in leaving; delay going; continue or persist;
linger
be slow to disappear; Ex. The smell lingered for days.
linguistic pertaining to language
lionize treat (a person) as a celebrity
liquidate settle accounts; pay off (a debt); clear up; eliminate; kill or abolish
list tilt (as of a ship); lean over (to one side)
listless lacking in spirit or energy; languid
supplicatory prayer; prayer in which the priest calls out and the people
litany
replies in the same words
lithe flexible; supple; CF. limber
litigation lawsuit; N. litigant: one party in a lawsuit; V. litigate
litotes understatement for emphasis; Ex. ``not bad(=pretty good)''
waste material thrown away (as bits of paper scattered untidily); V:
litter
cover untidily with scattered litter
lead-colored; black and blue (as from a bruise); ashen; enraged;
livid
extremely angry
reluctant; unwilling; disinclined; Ex. Romeo and Juliet were both loath
loath
for him to go.
detest; ADJ. loathsome: arousing loathing; offensive; Ex. loathsome
loathe
smell
lode metal-bearing vein(long deposit of an ore)
loft room or space under the roof; attic
lofty very high
record of a voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities; section of a
log
trunk; V.
loiter hang about/around; stand idly about; linger
loll lounge about
longevity long life; long duration
act of keeping watch; high place commanding a wide view; person who
lookout
keeps watch
appear or take shape (usually in an enlarged, indistinct, or distorted
loom form); Ex. The shadow of the gallows loomed threateningly. N:
apparatus for making thread into cloth
lope gallop slowly
heavier or larger on one side than the other; Ex. lopsided way of
lopsided
walking
loquacious talkative; N. loquacity
lot object used in making a determination at random; fate; piece of land
lottery contest in which winners are selected in a drawing of lots
lounge stand, sit, or lie in a lazy, relaxed way
lout clumsy person; ADJ. loutish; CF. from countrysides ?
low moo; make the sound of a cow
lubricate apply a lubricant to; N. lubricant: substance that reduces friction
lucid easily understood; clear; intelligible; N. lucidity
lucrative profitable; producing wealth
lucre money; profit; Ex. filthy lucre
ludicrous laughable; ridiculous; trifling
lugubrious mournful; sorrowful
moment of calm; period of reduced activity; Ex. a lull in the rain; V:
lull cause to become less active; cause to sleep or rest; Ex. lull the
opponents into a false sense of security; CF. lullaby
move heavily or clumsily; Ex. The bear lumbered through the woods;
lumber
N: timber
lumen unit of light energy (one candle's worth)
celebrity (in a specific field); dignitary; object that gives light (as a
luminary
celestial body)
luminous shining (esp. in the dark); issuing light; Ex. luminous paint/road signs
lunar pertaining to the moon
lunatic insane; Ex. lunatic asylum
wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome; horrible; Ex. lurid details of the
lurid
murder
lurk stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived
luscious pleasing to taste or smell; delicious
lush (of a plant or grass) growing very well
lust intense sexual desire; intense eagerness; V.
luster shine; gloss (of a polished surface)
lustrous shining; brilliant; Ex. lustrous hair
abundant; growing healthily and in large amounts; excessively ornate;
luxuriant rich and splendid; fertile; Ex. luxuriant forests/prose; CF. luxurious,
luxuriate
luxuriate take pleasure in great comfort