Voice of America Broadcast Dictionary - L
This Special English Dictionary contains about 1,500 words and makes an excellent vocabulary goal for intermediate level learners.
N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Parts of Speech Key
n. (noun) - a name word
v. (verb) - an action word
ad. (adjective/adverb) - a describing word
prep. (preposition) - a word used to show a relation
pro. (pronoun) - a word used in place of a noun
conj. (conjunction) - a joining word
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labor - 
n. work; workers as a group
laboratory - n. a room or place where experiments in science are done
lack - v. to be without; n. the condition of needing, wanting or not having
lake - n. a large area of fresh water surrounded by land
land - v. to come to the earth from the air ("Airplanes land at airports."); n. the part of the earth not covered by water; the ground
language - n. words and their use; what people speak in a country, nation or group
large - ad. big; being of more than usual size, amount or number; opposite small
last - v. to continue ("The talks will last three days."); ad. after all others; the only one remaining ("She is the last person in line.")
late - ad. after the correct time; near the end; opposite early
laugh - v. to make sounds to express pleasure or happy feelings
launch - v. to put into operation; to begin; to send into the air or space
law - n. all or any rules made by a government
lead - v. to show the way; to command; to control; to go first
leak - v. to come out of or to escape through a small opening or hole (usually a gas or liquid)
learn - v. to get knowledge about; to come to know a fact or facts
leave - v. to go away from; to let something stay where it is
left - ad. on the side that is toward the west when one is facing north; opposite right
legal - ad. of or in agreement with the law
legislature - n. a government lawmaking group
lend - v. to permit someone to use a thing temporarily; to make a loan of money
less - ad. smaller in amount; not as much
let - v. to permit to do or to be; to make possible
letter - n. a message written on paper; a communication in writing sent to another person
level - n. the amount or height that something reaches or rises to; the position of something or someone
liberal - ad. one who usually supports social progress or change
lie - v. to have one's body on the ground or other surface; to say something that one knows is not true
life - n. the time between being born and dying; opposite death; all living things
lift - v. to take or bring up to a higher place or level
light - n. a form of energy that affects the eyes so that one is able to see; anything that produces light; ad. bright; clear; not heavy
lightning - n. light produced by electricity in the air, usually during a storm
like - v. to be pleased with; to have good feelings for someone or something; ad. in the same way as; similar to
limit - v. to restrict to a number or amount; n. the greatest amount or number permitted
line - n. a long, thin mark on a surface; a number of people or things organized; one after another; the edge of an area protected by military forces
link - v. to connect; to unite one thing or event with another; n. a relation between two or more things, situations or events
liquid - n. a substance that is not a solid or gas, and can move freely, like water
list - v. to put in writing a number of names of people or things; n. a written series of names or things
listen - v. to try to hear
literature - n. all the poems, stories and writings of a period of time or of a country
little - ad. not tall or big; a small amount
live - v. to have life; to exist; ad. having life; alive
load - v. to put objects on or into a vehicle or container; n. that which is carried
loan - n. money borrowed that usually must be returned with interest payments; something borrowed
local - ad. about or having to do with one place
lonely - ad. feeling alone and wanting friends; visited by few or no people ("a lonely man")
long - ad. not short; measuring from beginning to end; measuring much; for much time
look - v. to turn the eyes toward so as to see; to search or hunt for; to seem to be
lose - v. to have no longer; to not find; to fail to keep; to be defeated
loud - ad. having a strong sound; full of sound or noise
love - v. to like very much; to feel a strong, kind emotion (sometimes involving sex); n. a strong, kind emotion for someone or something; opposite hate
low - ad. not high or tall; below the normal height; close to the ground
loyal - ad. showing strong friendship and support for someone or something
luck - n. something that happens by chance
This dictionary was created by the VOA (Voice of English) Special English and Voice of America. It makes an excellent starting vocabulary selection for intermediate level learners. This dictionary is used as the basis on which listening selections vocabulary is chosen and can help you understand VOA broadcasts which can be found at the Voice of America Special English site.
