Phrasal verbs are an important feature of the English language. The meaning of a phrasal verb often bears no relation to the meaning of either the verb or the particle which is used with it. Many phrasal verbs have several different meanings.
Lapse into (to start speaking or behaving in a less active or less acceptable way)
Rex lapsed into silence for a while after the police questioned him.
Lard with (full of too much of something) The ex-minister’s speech was larded with controversial statements.
Lash down (if rain lashes down, it falls very heavily)
The rain lashed down for one hour.
Lash into (to criticise something or someone very strongly) The manager lashed into his secretary for coming late to office.
Lash out (to criticise someone or something in an angry way)
Susie lashed out at her husband for wasting her money.
Last out (to manage to stay alive)
Nobody thought that the patient will last out the night.
Latch on to (to spend time with someone)
Tony tried to latch on to Marry at the party.
Laugh off (to laugh about something unpleasant in order to make it seem less important or serious) Diana tried to laugh off his crude remarks.
Launch into (to start doing or saying something in a very enthusiastic way)
The minister launched into his long speech on how he came to politics.
Lavish upon (to give a large amount of something to someone or something)
Huge sums of money were lavished upon housing projects by the previous government.
Lay aside (to keep something so that you can use it in the future)
Ben used to lay aside some money every month to start a business.
Lay by (to keep something so that you can use it in the future)
I’m trying to lay by a sum of money to buy a laptop.
Lay down (to officially state how something must be done)
The employees have to follow the rules laid down by the company.
Lay in (to store something because you will need it in the future)
The people are starting to lay in dry food for the coming months.
Lay off (to stop employing someone because there is no work for them to do)
The company has laid off many workers.
Lay out (to arrange something on a flat surface) The teacher laid out the maps on the floor.
Lay up (to be so ill that you have to stay in bed) I have been laid up with flu for a week.
Laze around (to relax and enjoy yourself by doing very little)
The children lazed around on the lawn.
Lead off (to begin a discussion or meeting) The director led off the discussion with a progress report.
Lead on (to make someone do something bad by encouraging them) I didn’t want to paste the posters on walls but others led me on.
Lead to (if an action or event leads to something, it causes that thing to happen)
The disagreement between the union and the management will lead to a strike.