[lightly] See: ONCE OVER LIGHTLY at ONCE OVER(2).

[lightning never strikes twice in the same place] The same accident doesnot happen twice; the same person does not have the same luck again. — Aproverb. •/Billy won a pony in the contest last year, but lightning neverstrikes twice in the same place./

[light on] also [light upon] {v.} To pick out by sight from amongothers; see; notice. •/His eyes lighted on the cookies and he remembered howhungry he was./ •/Her eyes lighted upon the row of boxes, and she askedwhat was in them./

[light out]{v.}, {slang} 1. To run as fast as you can. •/The boylit out for home with the bully chasing him./ •/On the next pitch therunner will light out for second./ 2. To go away in a hurry; leave suddenly. — Often used with "for". •/Jack won’t be in town long. He wants to light outas soon as he has enough money saved./ •/The robbers lit out for Mexico./Syn.: BEAT IT, TAKE OFF(1), HEAD FOR THE HILLS.

[light up]{v.} Suddenly to look pleased and happy. •/Martha’s facelit up when she saw her old friend./ •/Tom will really light up when hesees his new bike!/

[like] See: EAT LIKE A BIRD, FEEL LIKE, LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT ATE THECANARY, NOTHING LIKE, THE LIKES OF or THE LIKE.

[like a bird] See: EAT LIKE A BIRD.

[like a book] See: READ ONE LIKE A BOOK.

[like a fish out of water] See: FISH OUT OF WATER.

[like a glove] See: FIT LIKE A GLOVE.

[like a hole in the head]{adv. phr.} Not at all; scarcely; grudgingly;in an unwelcome manner. •/Joan needs her mother-in-law to stay with her for aweek like a hole in the head./

[like a horse] See: EAT LIKE A HORSE.

[like a light] See: OUT LIKE A LIGHT.

[like a million] See: FEEL LIKE A MILLION.

[like a million dollars] See: LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS.

[like anything]{adv. phr.} To an extreme degree. •/He swore likeanything when he found out that he hadn’t been promoted./

[like a steel trap] See: MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP.

[like clockwork] See: GO LIKE CLOCKWORK or GO OFF LIKE CLOCKWORK.

[like crazy] See: LIKE MAD.

[like father, like son] A son is usually like his father in the way heacts. — A proverb. •/Frank’s father has been on the city council; he is nowthe mayor, and is running for governor. Frank is on the student council and islikely to he class president. Like father, like son./ •/Mr. Jones and Tommyare both quiet and shy. Like father, like son./ Compare: SPITTING IMAGE,FOLLOW IN ONE’S FOOTSTEPS.

[like hell]{adv.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} 1. Withgreat vigor. •/As soon as they saw the cops, they ran like hell./ 2.{interj.} Not so; untrue; indicates the speaker’s lack of belief in what heheard. •/Like hell you’re gonna bring me my dough!/

[like it is] See: TELL IT LIKE IT IS.

[like looking for a needle in a haystack] See: NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK.

[like mad] or [like crazy] {adv.}, {slang}, {informal} Withgreat enthusiasm and vigor; very fast. •/We had to drive like mad (likecrazy) to get there on time./ See: LIKE HELL(1).

[like two peas in a pod]{adj. phr.} Closely similar; almost exactlyalike. •/The twin sisters Eve and Agnes are like two peas in a pod./

[like water]{adv. phr.} As something easily poured out or wasted;freely. — Usually used in the phrase "spend money like water". •/Sailors onshore leave often spend money like water./ •/During the World Wars, theUnited States spent money like water./

[like water off a duck’s back]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Withoutchanging your feelings or opinion; without effect. •/Advice and correctionroll off him like water off a duck’s back./ •/Many people showed him theydidn’t like what he was doing, but their disapproval passed off him like wateroff a duck’s back./

[lily] See: GILD THE LILY also PAINT THE LILY.

[limb] See: OUT ON A LIMB.

[line] See: BLOW ONE’S LINES or FLUFF ONE’S LINES, CHOW LINE, DOWN THELINE, DRAW A LINE or DRAW THE LINE, DROP A LINE, END OF THE ROAD or END OF THELINE, FOUL LINE, GOAL LINE, GOAL LINE STAND, HOLD THE LINE, HOOK, LINE ANDSINKER, IN LINE, IN LINE WITH, INTO LINE, LAY ON THE LINE or PUT ON THE LINE,ON THE LINE, OUT OF LINE, OUT OF LINE WITH, READ BETWEEN THE LINES, TOE THELINE, WALK THE CHALK or WALK THE CHALK LINE.

[line drive]{n.} A batted baseball that is usually hit hard andtravels in the air not far above the ground. •/The batter hit a line drive toleft field for a single./

[linen] See: AIR ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE’S DIRTY LINEN INPUBLIC.

[line of fire]{n. phr.} The path that something fired or thrown takes.•/When the bandit and the police began to shoot, John was almost in theirline of fire./ Compare: CROSS FIRE.

[line of least resistance] or [path of least resistance] {n. phr.}The easiest way; the way that takes least effort. •/In becoming a doctor likehis father John had really just followed the line of least resistance./•/Some parents take the path of least resistance with their children and letthem do as they please./

[line of scrimmage]{n. phr.} An imaginary line on a football fieldparallel to the goal lines where each play except the kickoff begins. •/Theplay was stopped at the line of scrimmage./

[line one’s pockets] also [line one’s purse] {v. phr.},{informal} To get a lot of money unfairly; get rich by being dishonest.•/The policeman lined his pockets by taking bribes./ •/The inspectorlined his pockets by permitting contractors to use poor building materials./Compare: FEATHER ONE’S NEST.

[lineup]{n.} 1. An alignment of objects in a straight line. •/Alineup of Venus and the moon can be a very beautiful sight in the night sky./2. An arrangement of suspects through a one-way mirror so that the victim orthe witness of a crime can identify the wanted person. •/She picked out herattacker from a police lineup./

[line up]{v. phr.} 1. To take places in a line or formation; standside by side or one behind another; form a line or pattern. •/The boys linedup and took turns diving off the springboard./ •/The football team lined upin a "T" formation./ 2. To put in line. •/John lined up the pool balls./3. To adjust correctly. •/The garage man lined up the car’s wheels./ 4a.{informal} To make ready for action; complete a plan or agreement for;arrange. •/Henry’s friends lined up so many votes for him that he won theelection./ •/Roger lined up a summer job before school was out./ •/Thesuperintendent lined up all the new teachers he needed before he went onvacation./ 4b. {informal} To become ready for action; come together inpreparation or agreement. •/The football schedule is lining up well; thecoach has arranged all games except one./ •/Larry wanted to go to theseashore for the family vacation, but the rest of the family lined up againsthim./ Compare: GANG UP, SHAPE UP, TAKE SIDES.

[lining] See: EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING.

[link] See: MISSING LINK.

[lion’s share]{n. phr.} A disproportionate share; the largest part.•/The manager always gets the lion’s share of the company’s profits./

[lip] See: BUTTON ONE’S LIP or ZIP ONE’S LIP, HANG ON THE WORDS OF or HANGON THE LIPS OF, KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP, SLIP OF THE TONGUE also SLIP OF THELIP.