led /le d/ Led is the past tense and past participle of lead .
-led /-led/
1 COMB [usu ADJ n] -led combines with nouns to form adjectives which indicate that something is organized, directed, or controlled by a particular person or group. □ …the student-led democracy movement. □ …a German-led European consortium.
2 COMB -led combines with nouns to form adjectives which indicate that something is mainly caused or influenced by a particular factor. □ Their prosperity depends on export-led growth. □ …a market-led economy.
ledge /le dʒ/ (ledges )
1 N‑COUNT A ledge is a piece of rock on the side of a cliff or mountain, which is in the shape of a narrow shelf.
2 N‑COUNT A ledge is a narrow shelf along the bottom edge of a window. □ She had climbed onto the ledge outside his window.
ledg|er /le dʒə r / (ledgers ) N‑COUNT A ledger is a book in which a company or organization writes down the amounts of money it spends and receives. [BUSINESS ]
lee /liː / (lees )
1 N‑SING [with poss] The lee of a place is the shelter that it gives from the wind or bad weather. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] …the cathedral, which nestles in the lee of a hill beneath the town.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] In sailing, the lee side of a ship is the one that is away from the wind. [TECHNICAL ]
leech /liː tʃ/ (leeches )
1 N‑COUNT A leech is a small animal which looks like a worm and lives in water. Leeches feed by attaching themselves to other animals and sucking their blood.
2 N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a leech , you disapprove of them because they deliberately depend on other people, often making money out of them. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ They're just a bunch of leeches cadging off others!
leek /liː k/ (leeks ) N‑VAR Leeks are long thin vegetables which smell similar to onions. They are white at one end, have long light green leaves, and are eaten cooked.
leer /l I ə r / (leers , leering , leered ) VERB If someone leers at you, they smile in an unpleasant way, usually because they are sexually interested in you. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V prep/adv] Men were standing around, swilling beer and occasionally leering at passing females. □ [V ] He looked back at Kenworthy and leered. ● N‑COUNT Leer is also a noun. □ When I asked the clerk for my room key, he gave it to me with a leer.
leery /l I ə ri/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are leery of something, you are cautious and suspicious about it and try to avoid it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Executives say they are leery of the proposed system. □ [+ about ] They were leery about investing in a company controlled by a single individual.
2 ADJ If someone looks or smiles at you in a leery way, they look or smile at you in an unpleasant way, usually because they are sexually interested in you. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a leery grin.
lee|way /liː we I / N‑UNCOUNT Leeway is the freedom that someone has to take the action they want to or to change their plans. □ [+ to-inf] Rarely do schoolteachers have leeway to teach classes the way they want.
left
➊ REMAINING
➋ DIRECTION AND POLITICAL GROUPINGS
➊ left ◆◇◇ /le ft/
1 Left is the past tense and past participle of leave .
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If there is a certain amount of something left , or if you have a certain amount of it left , it remains when the rest has gone or been used. □ Is there any gin left? □ He's got plenty of money left. □ They still have six games left to play. ● PHRASE If there is a certain amount of something left over , or if you have it left over , it remains when the rest has gone or been used. □ So much income is devoted to monthly mortgage payments that nothing is left over. □ …a large bucket of cut flowers left over from the wedding.
➋ left ◆◆◆ /le ft/ The spelling Left is also used for meanings 3 and 4 . 1 N‑SING The left is one of two opposite directions, sides, or positions. If you are facing north and you turn to the left, you will be facing west. In the word 'to', the 't' is to the left of the 'o'. □ In Britain cars drive on the left. □ [+ of ] …the brick wall to the left of the conservatory. □ Beaufort Castle is on your left. ● ADV [ADV after v] Left is also an adverb. □ [+ at ] Turn left at the crossroads into Clay Lane.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Your left arm, leg, or ear, for example, is the one which is on the left side of your body. Your left shoe or glove is the one which is intended to be worn on your left foot or hand.
3 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] You can refer to people who support the political ideals of socialism as the left . They are often contrasted with the right , who support the political ideals of capitalism and conservatism. □ …the traditional parties of the Left.
4 N‑SING [usu to the N ] If you say that a person or political party has moved to the left , you mean that their political beliefs have become more left-wing. □ After Mrs Thatcher's first election victory in 1979, Labour moved sharply to the left.
le ft-cli ck (left-clicks , left-clicking , left-clicked ) VERB To left-click or to left-click on something means to press the left-hand button on a computer mouse. [COMPUTING ] □ [V + on ] When the menu has popped up you should left-click on one of the choices to make it operate.
le ft fie ld