Page 311 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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J – L

jamb (JAM) n. 1. a side post or any part of a frame for a window or door;
2. a pillar of ore
• When a door is closed, its front and rear edges are in contact with the
jambs.
• Some metallic ores are found in jambs.
jocular (JAHK yoo loer) adj. 1. joking; humorous; 2. said as a joke
• It is good to go through life with a jocular outlook on things.
• When Jill said you look like a million, she was being jocular.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. witty]
laconic (luh KAH nik) adj. using few words; brief; to the point
• Calvin Coolidge was a very laconic president, rarely wasting words.
• Most people prefer not to be laconic for fear of hurting others’ feelings.
[-ally adv.] [Syn. concise]
lambaste (lam BAYST) vt. 1. to beat soundly; thrash; 2. to scold or denounce
• Killer Kowalski lambasted most of his ring opponents.
• Ashley’s mother lambasted her verbally for getting home after curfew.
[-d, lambasting] [Syn. thrash]
laudable (LAW duh bl) adj. worthy of praise
• Mother Teresa’s work with the poor was very laudable.
• The rescue workers did a laudable job saving the miners after the shaft
collapsed.
[laudably adv.] [praiseworthy]
laudatory (LAW duh TAW ree) adj. expressing praise or commendation;
eulogistic
• The mayor was laudatory in his evaluation of the fire department’s work.
• The president had nothing but laudatory words for the work of the armed
forces.
[lauditorily adv.]
ledger (LED joer) n. 1. the book for final entry of credits and debits; 2. a long
horizontal board that helps support ceiling or floor joists
•A ledger is a bookeeper’s best friend, if kept properly.
• All expenses of a business as well as all money taken in must be entered in
a ledger.
• Every front porch’s sides and front are supported by ledger boards.
lethargy (LETH er jee) n. 1. sleepiness or drowsiness; 2. lack of energy to an
abnormal degree
• A feeling of lethargy overtook Antoine as he neared the end of the long
drive.
• Often, lethargy is a sign of the onset of an illness.
[lethargic adj., lethargically adv.]
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