Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| labs | (Pl.) LAB, laboratory. |
| lace | A delicate ornamental fabric made by looping, knotting, plaiting or twisting threads into definite patterns; (verb) to fasten by means of a lace (a cord for drawing together two edges) > LACES, LACING, LACED. |
| lack | To be without > LACKS, LACKING, LACKED. |
| lacs | (Pl.) LAC, a dark red resin. |
| lacy | Of or like lace > LACIER, LACIEST; LACILY. Also LACEY. |
| lade | To load > LADES, LADING, LADED, LADEN. |
| lads | (Pl.) LAD, a boy or youth. |
| lady | A woman of refinement and gentle manners > LADIES. |
| laer | (Afrikaans) = LAAGER, a camp; (verb) to make camp > LAERS, LAERING, LAERED. |
| lags | (3rd.) LAG, to fall behind. |
| lahs | (Pl.) LAH, a musical note. |
| laic | Pertaining to lay people rather than clergy; (noun) a lay person > LAICS. |
| laid | (Scots) to load > LAIDS, LAIDING, LAIDED. |
| laik | (Scots) to sport or play > LAIKS, LAIKING, LAIKED. Also LAKE. |
| lain | (Pt.) LIE, to be in a horizontal position. |
| lair | (Scots) to mire, cover with mud > LAIRS, LAIRING, LAIRED. |
| lake | (Verb) to sport or play > LAKES, LAKING, LAKED. Also LAIK. |
| lakh | (Hindi) a unit of counting > one hundred thousand > LAKHS. |
| laky | Containing lakes > LAKIER, LAKIEST. |
| lall | To articulate R as L > LALLS, LALLING, LALLED. |
| lama | (Tibetan) a Tibetan monk or priest > LAMAS. |
| lamb | (Verb) to give birth to a lamb > LAMBS, LAMBING, LAMBED. |
| lame | Physically disabled > LAMER, LAMEST; LAMELY; (verb) to make lame > LAMES, LAMING, LAMED. |
| lamp | (Verb) to illumine; to supply with lamps > LAMPS, LAMPING, LAMPED. |
| lams | (3rd.) LAM, to beat. |
| lana | The wood of the GENIPAP, a large West Indian tree > LANAS. |
| land | To set down upon land (solid ground) > LANDS, LANDING, LANDED. |
| lane | A narrow passageway > LANES. |
| lang | (Scots) long > LANGER, LANGEST. |
| lank | Thin, shrunken > LANKER, LANKEST; LANKLY; (verb) to make or become lean, shrunken > LANKS, LANKING, LANKED. |
| lant | Stale urine, used in wool-scouring > LANTS. |
| lanx | (Arch.) a platter > LANCES. |
| laps | (3rd.) LAP, to scoop up with the tongue. |
| lard | (Verb) to cover or smear foods with lard > LARDS, LARDING, LARDED. |
| lare | Lore; learning > LARES. |
| lari | A monetary unit of the Maldives, 1/100th of a RUFIYAA > LARIS. Also LAARI, LAREE. |
| lark | To behave playfully > LARKS, LARKING, LARKED. |
| larn | (Dial.) to learn > LARNS, LARNING, LARNED. |
| lars | (Pl.) LAR. a tutelary deity. |
| lase | To function as a LASER > LASES, LASING, LASED. |
| lash | To strike with a whip > LASHES, LASHING, LASHED. |
| lass | (Scots) a girl > LASSES. Also LASSIE. |
| last | To continue in existence > LASTS, LASTING, LASTED. |
| late | After the due time > LATER, LATEST; LATED; LATELY. |
| lath | (Verb) to cover with laths > LATHS, LATHING, LATHED. |
| lati | (Pl.) LAT, a former monetary unit of Latvia. |
| lats | (Pl.) LAT, a former monetary unit of Latvia. |
| latu | (Pl.) LAT, a Latvian unit of currency. |
| laud | To praise > LAUDS, LAUDING, LAUDED. |
| lauf | (Ger.) a run in a bobsleigh contest > LAUFS. |
| lava | Magma that has been extruded out on to the earth's surface > LAVAS. |
| lave | To wash, bathe > LAVES, LAVING, LAVED. |
| lavs | (Pl.) LAV, lavatory. |
| lawk | (Dial.) interjection expressing surprise. Also LAWKS. |
| lawn | A fine linen or cotton fabric, used for clothing > LAWNS. |
| laws | (3rd.) LAW, to take to court. |
| lays | (3rd.) LAY, to place horizontally. |
| laze | To pass time lazily > LAZES, LAZING, LAZED. |
| lazo | A lasso; (verb) to lasso > LAZOS or LAZOES, LAZOING, LAZOED. |
| lazy | Idle > LAZIER, LAZIEST; LAZILY; (verb) to move lazily > LAZIES, LAZYING, LAZIED. |
| lead | To cover with lead (a heavy metallic element) > LEADS, LEADING, LEADED; to guide > LEADS, LEADING, LED. |
| leaf | A usually green, flattened organ of vascular plants > LEAVES; (verb) to turn pages rapidly > LEAFS, LEAFING, LEAFED. |
| leak | To permit the escape of something through a breach or flaw > LEAKS, LEAKING, LEAKED. |
| leal | (Scots) loyal > LEALER, LEALEST; LEALLY. |
| leam | (Arch.) to gleam, glow > LEAMS, LEAMING, LEAMED. Also LEME. |
| lean | Having little fat > LEANER, LEANEST; LEANLY; (verb) to deviate from a vertical position > LEANS, LEANING, LEANED or LEANT. |
| leap | To jump > LEAPS, LEAPING, LEAPED, LEAPT, (Scots) LUPPEN. |
| lear | (Spenser) to teach > LEARS, LEARING, LEARED. |
| leas | (Pl.) LEA, arable land left fallow or used for pasture. |
| leat | A mill-stream > LEATS. |
| lech | (Verb) to lust > LECHES, LECHING, LECHED. |
| lede | the introductory section of a news story > LEDES. |
| leed | (Pt.) LEE, to give shelter to. |
| leek | A vegetable of the onion genus > LEEKS. |
| leep | (Hindi) to plaster with cow-dung; to boil or scald > LEEPS, LEEPING, LEEPED. |
| leer | To look with a sideways glance > LEERS, LEERING, LEERED. |
| lees | The sediment that settles at the bottom of a liquid, esp. a fermented liquid such as wine; dregs. |
| leet | (Shakesp.) a manor court > LEETS. |
| left | Opposite to right > LEFTER, LEFTEST. |
| legs | (3rd.) LEG, to walk briskly. |
| lehr | A glass-annealing oven > LEHRS. Also LEAR, LEER. |
| leir | (Spenser) to teach > LEIRS, LEIRING, LEIRED. Also LERE, LEAR, LEARE, LEER. |
| leis | (Pl.) LEI, a garland. |
| leke | (Spenser) leaky. |
| leks | (Pl.) LEK, an Albanian monetary unit. |
| leku | (Pl.) LEK, the monetary unit of Albania. |
| leme | (Arch.) to gleam, glow > LEMES, LEMING, LEMED. Also LEAM. |
| lend | To give the temporary use of > LENDS, LENDING, LENT. |
| leng | (Obs.) to lengthen, tarry > LENGS, LENGING, LENGED. |
| leno | A thin, muslin-like fabric > LENOS. |
| lens | (Verb) to make a film of > LENSES, LENSING, LENSED. |
| lent | (Pt.) LEND, to give the temporary use of. |
| leps | (3rd.) LEP, to leap. |
| lept | (Pt.) LEP, to leap. |
| lere | (Spenser) to teach > LERES, LERING, LERED. Also LEIR, LEAR, LEARE, LEER. |
| lerp | (Aborig.) in Australia, a scalelike, waxy, protective, edible secretion produced on the leaves of certain plant louse larvae > LERPS. |
| less | (Noun) a smaller portion or quantity > LESSES. |
| lest | (Spenser, verb) to listen > LESTS, LESTING, LESTED. |
| lets | (3rd.) LET, to allow. |
| leud | A feudal vassal > LEUDS or LEUDES. |
| leva | (Pl.) LEV or LEW, a Bulgarian monetary unit. |
| leve | Gladly. Also LIEF. |
| levo | Turning towards the left. Also LAEVO. |
| levs | (Pl.) LEV, a unit of Bulgarian currency. |
| levy | To impose or collect by legal authority > LEVIES, LEVYING, LEVIED. |
| lewd | Sexually suggestive > LEWDER, LEWDEST; LEWDLY. |
| leys | (Pl.) LEY, a meadow. |
| liar | One that speaks falsely > LIARS. |
| lias | The lowest series of rocks of the Jurassic system > LIASES. |
| libs | (3rd.) LIB, to geld. |
| lice | (Pl.) LOUSE, a wingless parasitic insect. |
| lich | (Obs.) a body, living or dead > LICHES. |
| lick | To pass the tongue over the surface of > LICKS, LICKING, LICKED. |
| lido | A bathing beach; an open-air swimming pool > LIDOS. [The original Lido is a beach resort near Venice, Italy. The town's name comes from the Italian word lido, shore or bank.] |
| lids | (3rd.) LID, to provide with a lid. |
| lied | (Ger.) a song > LIEDER. |
| lief | (Adv.) soon; gladly > LIEFER, LIEFEST; LIEFLY; (noun) beloved > LIEFS. |
| lien | A right to keep possession of property belonging to another person until a debt due by that person is discharged > LIENS. |
| lier | One who lies > LIERS. |
| lies | (3rd.) LIE, to tell a lie. |
| lieu | (Fr.) a place or stead, esp. in the phrase in lieu of > LIEUS. |
| life | The quality that distinguishes animals and plants from inanimate matter > LIVES or LIFES. |
| lift | To move to a higher position > LIFTS, LIFTING, LIFTED. |
| ligs | (3rd.) LIG, to lie about, idle. |
| like | Similar > LIKER, LIKEST; (verb) to feel attracted to > LIKES, LIKING, LIKED. |
| lill | (Spenser) to loll the tongue > LILLS, LILLING, LILLED. |
| lilo | An inflatable mattress > LILOS. |
| lilt | To have a jaunty rhythm > LILTS, LILTING, LILTED. |
| lily | Any plant or flower of the genus Lilium > LILIES, LILIED. |
| lima | A kind of bean > LIMAS. |
| limb | (Verb) to dismember; to supply with limbs > LIMBS, LIMBING, LIMBED. |
| lime | A tropical citrus tree; its small nearly globular fruit, with acid-tasting flesh; (verb) to treat with lime > LIMES, LIMING, LIMED. |
| limn | To portray, paint or delineate > LIMNS, LIMNING, LIMNED. |
| limo | (Abbr.) LIMOUSINE > LIMOS. |
| limp | Lacking rigidity > LIMPER, LIMPEST; LIMPLY; (verb) to walk lamely > LIMPS, LIMPING, LIMPED. |
| limy | Containing or tasting of lime > LIMIER, LIMIEST. |
| lind | A lime-tree > LINDS. Also LINDEN. |
| line | To mark with lines (slender, continuous marks) > LINES, LINING, LINED. |
| ling | Any of various plants of the heath family, esp. Calluna vulgaris, heather > LINGS. |
| link | To connect > LINKS, LINKING, LINKED. |
| linn | (Scots) a waterfall > LINNS. |
| lino | Linoleum > LINOS. |
| lins | (Pl.) LIN, a waterfall. |
| lint | An absorbent cotton or linen fabric with the nap raised on one side, used to dress wounds, etc; (verb) to put lint on > LINTS, LINTING, LINTED. |
| liny | Like a line > LINIER, LINIEST. Also LINEY. |
| lion | A large powerful cat, found in Africa and India > LIONS. |
| lipa | A monetary unit of Croatia > LIPE. |
| lipe | (Pl.) LIPA, a monetary unit of Croatia. |
| lipo | (Coll.) a liposuction > LIPOS. |
| lips | (3rd.) LIP, to touch with the lips. |
| lira | (Ital.) an Italian unit of currency > LIRE or LIRAS; a Maltese unit of currency > LIRI; an Israeli unit of currency > LIROT or LIROTH. |
| lire | (Pl.) LIRA, an Italian unit of currency. |
| liri | (Pl.) LIRA, a Maltese monetary unit. |
| lirk | (Scots) to wrinkle > LIRKS, LIRKING, LIRKED. |
| lisk | The groin, flank > LISKS. |
| lisp | To pronounce the letters S and Z imperfectly > LISPS, LISPING, LISPED. |
| list | To write down in a particular order > LISTS, LISTING, LISTED. |
| lite | (Dial.) to alight, dismount > LITES, LITING, LITED. Also LYTE. |
| lith | (Scots) a joint; spec. the last joint or the tip of a finger > LITHS. |
| lits | (Pl.) LIT, the former monetary unit of Lithuania. |
| litu | (Pl.) LITAS, a former monetary unit of Lithuania. |
| live | Having life > LIVER, LIVEST; LIVELY; (verb) to function as an animal or plant > LIVES, LIVING, LIVED. |
| load | To place in or on a means of conveyance > LOADS, LOADING, LOADED. |
| loaf | A shaped mass of bread > LOAVES; (verb) to pass time idly > LOAFS, LOAFING, LOAFED. |
| loam | (Verb) to cover with loam > LOAMS, LOAMING, LOAMED. |
| loan | To lend > LOANS, LOANING, LOANED. |
| lobe | A rounded, projecting anatomical part; (verb) to divide into lobes > LOBES, LOBING, LOBED. |
| lobi | (Pl.) LOBUS, a lobe. |
| lobo | (US) a timber wolf > LOBOS. |
| lobs | (3rd.) LOB, to throw gently. |
| loca | (Pl.) LOCUS, a place, a locality. |
| loch | A lake > LOCHS. |
| loci | (Pl.) LOCUS, a place, a locality. |
| lock | To secure by means of a mechanical fastening device > LOCKS, LOCKING, LOCKED. |
| loco | (Noun) a locomotive; (verb) to poison with locoweed > LOCOS or LOCOES, LOCOING, LOCOED. |
| lode | A deposit of valuable ore occurring between definite limits in the surrounding rock > LODES. |
| lods | (Pl.) LOD, a statistic relating to the odds of an event. |
| loft | (Verb) to strike a ball so it rises > LOFTS, LOFTING, LOFTED. |
| loge | (Fr.) a small enclosure or box in a theatre or opera house > LOGES. |
| logo | A small design used as the symbol of an organisation etc > LOGOS. |
| logs | (3rd.) LOG, to enter into a record. |
| logy | Heavy or dull in respect to motion or thought; as, a LOGY horse > LOGIER, LOGIEST; LOGILY. Also LOGGY. |
| loid | (Sl.) celluloid; (verb) to open a lock with a strip of celluloid > LOIDS, LOIDING, LOIDED. |
| loin | The part of the lower back between the pelvis and the ribs > LOINS. |
| loir | (Fr.) a large European species of dormouse > LOIRS. |
| loke | A short narrow lane; a grass-covered track > LOKES. |
| loll | To lounge > LOLLS, LOLLING, LOLLED. |
| lolz | (Slang) amusement derived from mischievous or provocative behaviour on the Internet. |
| loma | (Lat.) a membranous fringe or flap > LOMAS or LOMATA. |
| lome | To cover with LOAM > LOMES, LOMING, LOMED. |
| lone | Having no companions > LONELY. |
| long | Extending for a considerable distance > LONGER, LONGEST; (verb) to desire strongly > LONGS, LONGING, LONGED. |
| loof | (Scots) the palm of the hand > LOOFS. |
| look | To use one's eyes in seeing > LOOKS, LOOKING, LOOKED. |
| loom | To appear in an enlarged and indistinct form > LOOMS, LOOMING, LOOMED. |
| loon | A simple-minded person. |
| loop | To form loops (circular or oval openings) > LOOPS, LOOPING, LOOPED. |
| loor | (Scots) comparative of LIEF, glad. |
| loos | (3rd.) LOO, to love. |
| loot | To plunder > LOOTS, LOOTING, LOOTED. |
| lope | To run with a steady, easy gait > LOPES, LOPING, LOPED. |
| lops | (3rd.) LOP, to cut off unnecessary parts. |
| lord | (Verb) to act as a lord > LORDS, LORDING, LORDED. |
| lore | On a bird, the area between the eye and the bill > LORES. |
| lorn | Lost, abandoned. |
| lory | (Malay) a kind of small parrot > LORIES. [Malay lori]. Also LOWRY, LOWRIE. |
| lose | To come to be without and be unable to find > LOSES, LOSING, LOST. |
| losh | (Scots) (interjection) Lord. |
| loss | The act of one that loses > LOSSES. |
| lost | (Pt.) LOSE, to mislay. |
| lota | (Hindi) in India, a small brass or copper pot > LOTAS. Also LOTAH. |
| lote | (Arch.) lotus > LOTES. |
| loth | Reluctant > LOTHER, LOTHEST. |
| loti | (Sesotho) a monetary unit of Lesotho > MALOTI. No -S. |
| loto | A game played by covering on a card each number drawn till a line of numbers is completed > LOTOS. Also LOTTO. |
| lots | (3rd.) LOT, to allot. |
| loud | Strongly audible > LOUDER, LOUDEST; LOUDLY. |
| loun | (Scots) sheltered, calm, quiet; (verb) to calm > LOUNS, LOUNING, LOUNED. Also LOWN, LOON, LOWND, LOWNE, LOUND. |
| loup | (Scots) to leap > LOUPS, LOUPING, LOUPIT, LOUPEN. Also LOWP. |
| lour | To look sullen or threatening > LOURS, LOURING, LOURED. Also LOWER. |
| lous | (3rd.) LOU, to love. |
| lout | (Verb, archaic) to bow, stoop > LOUTS, LOUTING, LOUTED. |
| love | To feel great affection for > LOVES, LOVING, LOVED. |
| lowe | (Scots) to blaze > LOWES, LOWING, LOWED. |
| lown | (Scots) sheltered, calm, quiet; (verb) to calm, become calm > LOWNS, LOWNING, LOWNED. Also LOWNE, LOWND, LOUN, LOUND. |
| lowp | (Scots) to leap > LOWPS, LOWPING, LOWPED. Also LOUP. |
| lows | (3rd.) LOW, to make a noise like a cow. |
| lowt | To bow, stoop > LOWTS, LOWTING, LOWTED. Also LOUT. |
| loys | (Pl.) LOY, a long narrow spade. |
| luau | (Hawaiian) a Hawaiian dish made of coconut, octopus etc > LUAUS. |
| lube | A lubricant; (verb) to lubricate > LUBES, LUBING, LUBED. |
| luce | (Shakesp.) the pike or jack, a fresh-water fish > LUCES. |
| luck | (Verb) to succeed by chance or good fortune > LUCKS, LUCKING, LUCKED. |
| lude | A type of sedative pill > LUDES. |
| ludo | A simple board game played with dice and counters in which the aim is to be the first to reach a destination > LUDOS. |
| luds | (Pl.) LUD, a lord, judge. |
| lues | (Lat.) disease, especially of a contagious kind > LUES. |
| luff | To turn a ship towards the wind > LUFFS, LUFFING, LUFFED. |
| luge | A light toboggan; (verb) to ride on this > LUGES, LUGEING or LUGING, LUGED. |
| lugs | (3rd.) LUG, to pull or drag with difficulty. |
| luit | (Scots) pt. LET. |
| luke | Moderately warm; not hot; tepid. Also LUKEWARM. |
| lull | To cause to sleep or rest > LULLS, LULLING, LULLED. |
| lulu | An outstandingly bad or impressive person or thing > LULUS. |
| lulz | (Slang) amusement derived from mischievous or provocative behaviour on the Internet. |
| luma | A monetary unit of Armenia > LUMAS. |
| lump | A shapeless mass; (verb) to make into lumps > LUMPS, LUMPING, LUMPED. |
| lums | (Pl.) LUM, chimney. |
| luna | (Lat.) a North American moth with crescent-shaped markings > LUNAS. [L. luna, moon]. |
| lune | Anything shaped like a half-moon > LUNES. |
| lung | A respiratory organ > LUNGS. |
| lunk | A stupid person > LUNKS. |
| luns | (Pl.) LUN, a lee. |
| lunt | (Scots) a slow match; a sudden flame; (verb) to kindle > LUNTS, LUNTING, LUNTED. |
| luny | Loony > LUNIER, LUNIEST; (noun) a loony person > LUNIES. |
| lure | To attract with something desirable > LURES, LURING, LURED. |
| lurk | To wait in concealment > LURKS, LURKING, LURKED. |
| lurs | (Pl.) LUR, a Bronze Age trumpet. |
| lush | Luxuriant > LUSHER, LUSHEST; LUSHLY; (verb) to ply with alcohol > LUSHES, LUSHING, LUSHED. |
| lusk | To lie about lazily > LUSKS, LUSKING, LUSKED. |
| lust | To have an intense desire > LUSTS, LUSTING, LUSTED. |
| lute | (Verb) to coat with lute (in sense of a protective covering) > LUTES, LUTING, LUTED. |
| lutz | A jump in figure-skating > LUTZES. [From Gustav Lussi, Swiss figure-skater who introduced it]. |
| luvs | (Pl.) LUV, term of endearment. |
| luxe | (Fr.) luxury, as in de luxe. |
| lwei | A monetary unit of Angola > LWEIS. |
| lyam | A kind of bloodhound > LYAMS. Also LYME, LYM. |
| lych | A corpse > LYCHES. |
| lyes | (Pl.) LYE, any solution obtained by leaching. |
| lyme | A kind of bloodhound > LYMES. Also LYAM, LYM. |
| lyms | (Pl.) LYM, a leash, a slow hound. |
| lyne | (Spenser) linen > LYNES. |
| lynx | An animal of the Lynx genus of wild cats > LYNXES. |
| lyra | As in lyra viol, a lutelike instrument forerunner of the mandolin. No -S. |
| lyre | A musical instrument like the harp, used esp in ancient Greece as an accompaniment to poetry > LYRES. |
| lyse | To undergo lysis, disintegration or destruction of cells > LYSES, LYSING, LYSED. |
| lyte | (Obs.) to alight > LYTES, LYTING, LYTED. Also LITE. |