7 VERB If a situation or legal contract lapses , it is allowed to end rather than being continued, renewed, or extended. □ [V ] Her membership of the Labour Party has lapsed. □ [V ] Ford allowed the name and trademark to lapse during the Eighties.
8 VERB If a member of a particular religion lapses , they stop believing in it or stop following its rules and practices. □ [V -ed] She calls herself a lapsed Catholic.
lap|top /læ ptɒp/ (laptops ) N‑COUNT A laptop or a laptop computer is a small portable computer. □ She used to work at her laptop until four in the morning.
lap|wing /læ pw I ŋ/ (lapwings ) N‑COUNT A lapwing is a small dark green bird which has a white breast and feathers sticking up on its head.
lar|ceny /lɑː r səni/ N‑UNCOUNT Larceny is the crime of stealing. [LEGAL ] □ Haggerman now faces two to 20 years in prison on grand larceny charges.
larch /lɑː r tʃ/ (larches ) N‑VAR A larch is a tree with needle-shaped leaves.
lard /lɑː r d/ N‑UNCOUNT Lard is soft white fat obtained from pigs. It is used in cooking.
lar|der /lɑː r də r / (larders ) N‑COUNT A larder is a room or large cupboard in a house, usually near the kitchen, in which food is kept. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use pantry
large ◆◆◆ /lɑː r dʒ/ (larger , largest )
1 ADJ A large thing or person is greater in size than usual or average. □ The Pike lives mainly in large rivers and lakes. □ In the largest room about a dozen children and seven adults are sitting on the carpet. □ He was a large man with thick dark hair.
2 ADJ A large amount or number of people or things is more than the average amount or number. □ The gang finally fled with a large amount of cash and jewellery. □ There are a large number of centres where you can take full-time courses. □ The figures involved are truly very large.
3 ADJ A large organization or business does a lot of work or commercial activity and employs a lot of people. □ …a large company in Chicago. □ Many large organizations run courses for their employees.
4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Large is used to indicate that a problem or issue which is being discussed is very important or serious. □ …the already large problem of under-age drinking. □ There's a very large question about the viability of the newspaper.
5 PHRASE You use at large to indicate that you are talking in a general way about most of the people mentioned. □ The chances of getting reforms accepted by the community at large remain remote.
6 PHRASE If you say that a dangerous person, thing, or animal is at large , you mean that they have not been captured or made safe. □ The man who tried to have her killed is still at large.
7 PHRASE You use by and large to indicate that a statement is mostly but not completely true. □ By and large, it went well.
8 to a large extent → see extent
9 larger than life → see life
10 in large measure → see measure SYNONYMS large ADJ 1
big: Australia's a big country.
substantiaclass="underline" That is a very substantial improvement in the present situation.
great: The room had a great bay window.
considerable: Vets' fees can be considerable, even for routine visits.
bulky: …bulky items like lawn mowers.
large|ly ◆◆◇ /lɑː r dʒli/
1 ADV [ADV with v] You use largely to say that a statement is not completely true but is mostly true. □ The fund is largely financed through government borrowing. □ I largely work with people who already are motivated. □ Their weapons have been largely stones.
2 ADV Largely is used to introduce the main reason for a particular event or situation. □ Retail sales dipped two percent last month, largely because Americans were buying fewer cars. SYNONYMS largely ADV 1
mainly: The birds live mainly on nectar.
mostly: Cars are mostly metal.
generally: This is generally true.
primarily: …a book aimed primarily at high-energy physicists.
chiefly: His response to attacks on his work was chiefly bewilderment.
la rge-sca le also large scale
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A large-scale action or event happens over a very wide area or involves a lot of people or things. □ …a large scale military operation.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A large-scale map or diagram represents a small area of land or a building or machine on a scale that is large enough for small details to be shown. □ …a large-scale map of the county.
lar|gesse /lɑː r ʒe s/ in AM, use largess N‑UNCOUNT Largesse is a generous gift of money or a generous act of kindness. [FORMAL ] □ …grateful recipients of their largesse. □ …his most recent act of largesse.
larg|ish /lɑː r dʒ I ʃ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Largish means fairly large. □ …a largish modern city.
lar|go /lɑː r goʊ/ (largos )
1 ADV [ADV after v] Largo written above a piece of music means that it should be played slowly.
2 N‑COUNT A largo is a piece of music, especially part of a longer piece, that is played slowly.
lark /lɑː r k/ (larks )