Adjacent Words

L definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

L, the twelfth letter of the English alphabet, is usually denominated a semi-vowel, or a liquid. It represents an imperfect articulation, formed by placing the tip of the tongue against the gum that incloses the roots of the upper teeth; but the sides of the tongue not being in close contact with the roof of the mouth, the breath of course not being entirely intercepted, this articulation is attended with an imperfect sound. The shape of the letter is evidently borrowed from that of the oriental lamed, or lomad, nearly coinciding with the Samaritan 2.
L has only one sound in English, as in like, canal. At the end of monosyllables, it is often doubled, as in fall, full, tell, bell; but not after diphthongs and digraphs; foul, fool, prowl, growel, foal, etc. being written with a single l.
With some nations, l and r are commutable; as in Greek, L. lilium.
In some words, l is mute, as in half, calf, walk, talk, chalk.
In English words, the terminating syllable le is unaccented, the e is silent, and l has a feeble sound; as in able, eagle, pronounced abl, eagl.
As a number L denotes 50, and with a dash above the L, 50,000. As an abbreviation, in Latin, it stands for Lucius; and L.L.S. for a sesterce, or two librae and a half.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: being ten more than forty [syn: fifty, 50, l] n
1: a metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditions; now equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters (or approximately 1.75 pints) [syn: liter, litre, l, cubic decimeter, cubic decimetre]
2: the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five [syn: fifty, 50, L]
3: a cgs unit of illumination equal to the brightness of a perfectly diffusing surface that emits or reflects one lumen per square centimeter [syn: lambert, L]
4: the 12th letter of the Roman alphabet [syn: L, l]

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation 1. Lagrangian 2. long 3. loss; losses

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural l's or ls) Usage: often capitalized, often attributive Date: before 12th century 1. a. the 12th letter of the English alphabet b. a graphic representation of this letter c. a speech counterpart of orthographic l 2. fifty — see number table 3. a graphic device for reproducing the letter l 4. one designated l especially as the 12th in order or class 5. something shaped like the letter L; specifically ell II,1 6. el II II. abbreviation 1. lady 2. lake 3. lambert 4. land 5. large 6. late 7. left 8. [Latin libra] pound 9. line 10. liquid 11. lira 12. liter 13. little 14. low

Britannica Concise

In the U.S., a game played between two teams of 11 players each on a rectangular field having two goalposts at each end, whose object is to get an oblong ball, in possession of one side at a time, over a goal line or between goalposts by running, passing, or kicking. A team must advance the ball 10 yards in four attempts (called downs), in order to continue to have the ball for another four downs. A run or completed pass over the goal line (touchdown) counts as six points. A kick through the goalposts (field goal) counts as three points. A post-touchdown goal kick, or extra point, counts as one point; two points are awarded if the ball is run or passed over the goal line. U.S. football evolved in the 19th cent. as a combination of rugby and soccer. The first intercollegiate match was played in 1869 between Princeton Univ. and Rutgers College. In 1873 the first collegiate rules were standardized and the Ivy League was formed. Collegiate football grew into one of the most popular U.S. sports. In 1998 the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. implemented a point plan for picking the country's top two teams, which would meet in a post-season national championship game. Professional football began in the 1890s but did not become a major sport until after World War II. The National Football League was formed (from an earlier association) in 1922; in 1966 it subsumed the rival Amer. Football League (created in 1959). The NFL is now divided into an Amer. and a National conference; the conference winners compete for the Super Bowl championship. A Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio. See also Australian-Rules football, Canadian Football League, Gaelic football.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. (also l) (pl. Ls or L's) 1 the twelfth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a Roman numeral) 50. 3 a thing shaped like an L, esp. a joint connecting two pipes at right angles. 2. abbr. (also L.) 1 Lake. 2 Brit. learner driver (cf. L-PLATE). 3 Liberal. 4 Licentiate. 5 Biol. Linnaeus. 6 Lire.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

abbr. (also l.) 1 left. 2 line. 3 litre(s). 4 length. 5 archaic pound(s) (money).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

L L ([e^]l), n. 1. An extension at right angles to the length of a main building, giving to the ground plan a form resembling the letter L; sometimes less properly applied to a narrower, or lower, extension in the direction of the length of the main building; a wing. [Written also ell.] 2. (Mech.) A short right-angled pipe fitting, used in connecting two pipes at right angles. [Written also ell.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

L L ([e^]l). 1. L is the twelfth letter of the English alphabet, and a vocal consonant. It is usually called a semivowel or liquid. Its form and value are from the Greek, through the Latin, the form of the Greek letter being from the Ph[oe]nician, and the ultimate origin prob. Egyptian. Etymologically, it is most closely related to r and u; as in pilgrim, peregrine, couch (fr. collocare), aubura (fr. LL. alburnus). Note: At the end of monosyllables containing a single vowel, it is often doubled, as in fall, full, bell; but not after digraphs, as in foul, fool, prowl, growl, foal. In English words, the terminating syllable le is unaccented, the e is silent, and l is preceded by a voice glide, as in able, eagle, pronounced [=a]"b'l, ?"g'l. See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect] 241. 2. As a numeral, L stands for fifty in the English, as in the Latin language. For 50 the Romans used the Chalcidian chi, ?, which assumed the less difficult lapidary type, ?, and was then easily assimilated to L. --I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

L L, a. 1. Having the general shape of the (capital) letter L; as, an L beam, or L-beam. 2. Elevated; -- a symbol for el. as an abbreviation of elevated in elevated road or railroad. -- n. An elevated road; as, to ride on the L. [Colloq., U. S.]

Moby Thesaurus

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