[lovers' lane] <n.> A hidden road or walk where lovers walk or park in the evening. * /A parked car in a lonely lovers' lane often is a chance for holdup men./

[low] See: LAY LOW, LIE LOW.

[lowbrow] <n.> A person of limited culture; a nonintellectual. * /Some people claim that only lowbrows read the comics./ Contrast: HIGH BROW.

[lowdown] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> The inside facts of a matter; the total truth. * /Nixon never gave the American people the lowdown on Watergate./

[lower the boom] <v. phr.>, <informal> To punish strictly; check or stop fully. * /The mayor lowered the boom on outside jobs for city firemen./ * /Father lowered the boom on the girls for staying out after midnight./ Syn.: CRACK DOWN. * /The police lowered the boom on open gambling./

[low-key] <adj.> Relaxed and easygoing. * /Surprisingly, dinner with the governor was a low-key affair./

[low season] Contrast: HIGH SEASON.

[luck] See: DOWN ON ONE'S LUCK, LUCK OUT, PRESS ONE'S LUCK or PUSH ONE'S LUCK, IN LUCK, OUT OF LUCK.

[luck out] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. Suddenly to get lucky when in fact the odds are against one's succeeding. * /I was sure I was going to miss the train as I was three minutes late, but I lucked out, the train was five minutes late./ 2. To be extraordinarily fortunate. * /Catwallender really lucked out at Las Vegas last month; he came home with $10,000 in cash./ 3. (By sarcastic opposition) to be extremely unfortunate; to be killed. * /Those poor marines sure lucked out in Saigon, didn't they?/

[lucky] See: THANK ONE'S LUCKY STARS.

[lucky star] <n.> A certain star or planet which, by itself or with others, is seriously or jokingly thought to bring a person good luck and success in life. * /John was born under a lucky star./ * /Ted was unhurt in the car accident, for which he thanked his lucky stars./

[lump in one's throat] <n. phr.> A feeling (as of grief or pride) so strong that you almost sob. * /John's mother had a lump in her throat at his college graduation./ * /All during her husband's funeral, Aunt May had a lump in her throat./ * /The bride's mother had a lump in her throat./

[lump sum] <n.> The complete amount; a total agreed upon and to be paid at one time. * /The case was settled out of court with the plaintiff receiving a lump sum of half a million dollars for damages./

[lunar module (L.M.)] or [Lem] <n.>, <Space English> That portion of the rocket assemblage on a flight to the Moon in which the astronauts descend to the Moon's surface. * /Building the L.M. was one of the most expensive parts of the American space program./

[lung] See: AT THE TOP OF ONE'S VOICE or AT THE TOP OP ONE'S LUNGS.

[lurch] See: LEAVE IN THE LURCH.

[lust for] <v. phr.> To physically yearn for; hanker after; want something very strongly. * /Ed has been lusting after Meg for a very long time./

[luxury] See: IN THE LAP OF LUXURY.

[mackerel] See: HOLY CATS or HOLY MACKEREL.

[mad about] <adj. phr.> 1. Angry about. * /What is Harriet so mad about?/ 2. Enthusiastic about. * /Dan is mad about pop music./

[mad as a hatter] or [mad as a March hare] <adj. phr.> Not able to think right; crazy. * /Anyone who thinks the moon is made of green cheese is mad as a hatter./

[mad as a hornet] or [mad as hops] or [mad as a wet hen] <adj. phr.>, <informal> In a fighting mood; very angry. * /When my father sees the dent in his fender, he'll be mad as a hornet./ * /Bill was mad as hops when the fellows went on without him./ * /Mrs. Harris was mad as a wet hen when the rabbits ate her tulips./

[mad as a March hare] See: MAD AS A HATTER.

[mad as hops] See: MAD AS A HORNET.

[made of money] <adj. phr.> Very rich; wealthy. * /Mr. Jones buys his children everything they want. He must be made of money./ Compare: MONEY TO BURN.

[made-to-measure] or [tailor-made] <adj.> Made to fit a special set of measurements or needs. * /John has a new made-to-measure suit./ * /The club is tailor-made for Jane./ Syn.: MADE TO ORDER.

[made to order] <adj. phr.> 1. Made specially in the way the buyer wants instead of all the same in large amounts; made especially for the buyer. * /Mr. Black's clothes were all made to order./ Compare: MADE-TO-MEASURE. 2. Just right. * /The weather was made to order for the hike./

[made up out of whole cloth] See: OUT OF WHOLE CLOTH.

[magic carpet] <n.> 1. A rug said to be able to transport a person through the air to any place he wishes. * /The caliph of Baghdad flew on his magic carpet to Arabia./ 2. Any form of transportation that is comfortable and easy enough to seem magical. * /Flying the Concord from Dallas to London seemed like boarding the magic carpet./ * /Mr. Smith's new car drove so smoothly it seemed like a magic carpet./

[maiden speech] <n. phr.> One's first public speech, usually before some legislative body. * /It was the new congressman's maiden speech and everyone was listening very keenly./

[maiden voyage] <n. phr.> The first voyage of a boat. * /The Titanic sank on her maiden voyage to America from England./

[mail order] <n. phr.> A purchase made by mail. * /If you don't have a chance to go to a store, you can sometimes make a purchase by mail order./

[main] See: IN THE MAIN, WITH MIGHT AND MAIN.

[main drag] <n.>, <colloquial> 1. The most important street or thoroughfare in a town. * /Lincoln Avenue is the main drag of our town./ 2. The street where the dope pushers and the prostitutes are. * /Wells Street is the main drag of Chicago, actionwise./

[main squeeze] <n.>, <slang> 1. The top ranking person in an organization or in a neighborhood; an important person, such as one's boss. * /Mr. Bronchard is the main squeeze in this office./ 2. The top person in charge of an illegal operation, such as drug sales, etc. * /Before we can clean up this part of town, we must arrest the main squeeze./ 3. One's principal romantic or sexual partner. * /The singer's main squeeze is a member of the band./

[majority leader] <n.> The leader of the political party with the most votes in a legislative house. * /The majority leader of the House of Representatives tried to get the members of his party to support the bill./ Compare: MINORITY LEADER.

[make] See: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY, HAVE IT MADE, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, ON THE MAKE.

[make a beeline for] <v. phr.> To go in a straight line toward. * /The runner made a beeline for first base./ * /When the bell rang Ted made a beeline for the door of the classroom./

[make a big deal about] <v. phr.>, <informal> To exaggerate an insignificant event. * /Jeff said, "I'm sorry I banged into you in the dark. Don't make a big deal out of it."/

[make a clean breast of] <v. phr.> To admit (your guilt); tell all about (your wrong doing); confess everything. * /The police caught the hit-and-run driver and he made a clean breast of his crime./ * /Arthur worried because he cheated on the test, and finally he went to the teacher and made a clean breast of it./ Compare: OFF ONE'S CHEST.

[make a clean sweep of] <v. phr.> 1. Achieve a complete victory. * /In 7980 the Reagan Republicans made a clean sweep of the western states./ 2. To eliminate thoroughly and completely. * /The new attorney general is expected to make a clean sweep of all the old administrative personnel./

[make a clown of] See: MAKE A FOOL OF.

[make a day of it] <v. phr.>, <informal> To do something all day. * /When they go to the beach they take a picnic lunch and make a day of it./ Compare: MAKE A NIGHT OF.

[make a dent in] <v. phr.>, <informal> To make less by a very small amount; reduce slightly. - Usually used in the negative or with such qualifying words as "hardly" or "barely". * /John shoveled and shoveled, but he didn't seem to make a dent in the pile of sand./ * /Mary studied all afternoon and only made a dent in her homework./

[make a difference] or [make the difference] <v. phr.> To change the nature of something or a situation; be important; matter. * /John's good score on the test made the difference between his passing or failing the course./ * /It doesn't make a bit of difference if you are late to my party. I just want you to come./

[make a face] <v. phr.>, <informal> To twist your face; make an ugly expression on your face (as by sticking out your tongue). * /The boy made a face at his teacher when she turned her back./ * /The sick boy swallowed the medicine and made a face./

[make a fast buck] See: FAST BUCK.

[make a federal case out of] See: MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT, MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.

[make a fool of] or (informal) [make a monkey of] <v. phr.> To make (someone) look foolish. * /The boy made a fool of himself./ * /Mary's classmates made a fool of her by telling her the party was to be a masquerade./

[make after] <v. phr.> To chase something; run after something. * /The mouse escaped from the kitchen corner and the cat made after it./

[make a fuss over] <v. phr.> 1. To quarrel about something or someone. * /I want you kids to stop fussing about who gets the drumstick./ 2. To he excessively concerned about someone or something; worry. * /Let's not fuss over such an insignificant problem!/ 3. To show exaggerated care or preoccupation about a person or an animal. * /Aunt Hermione is constantly fussing over her old lapdog./

[make a go of] <v. phr.> To turn into a success. * /He is both energetic and highly skilled at trading; he is sure to make a go of any business that holds his interest./

[make a hit] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be successful; be well-liked; get along well. * /Mary's new red dress made a hit at the party./ * /Alice was so happy that her boyfriend made a hit with her parents./ Compare: GO OVER(6).

[make a killing] <v. phr.> To earn or suddenly win a very large sum of money. * /Herb bought a lot of soybean stock when the price was low and sold it when the price went up. Small wonder he made a huge killing./

[make a living] <v. phr.> To earn one's livelihood. * /If you're good at your job, you can make a better living than if you don't know what you're doing./ * /It is easier to make a living in the United States than in many other countries./

[make allowance] <v. phr.> To judge results by the circumstances. Often used in plural. * /When a small boy is helping you, you must make allowances for his age./

[make a long story short] <v. phr.> To summarize a lengthy narrative. * /"So, to make a long story short," he said, "I made a killing on the stock market."/ Compare: IN A NUTSHELL.

[make a match] <v. phr.> To bring a man and woman together for the purpose of an engagement or marriage. * /Sheila's aunt is anxious to make a match between her and an attractive, wealthy man./

[make a mess of] See: SCREW UP.

[make a monkey of] See: MAKE A FOOL OF.

[make a motion] <v. phr.> To propose in some committee meeting or legislative group that a certain action be taken. * /The secretary made a motion that the minutes of the last meeting be accepted./

[make a mountain out of a molehill] To think a small problem is a big one; try to make something unimportant seem important. * /You're not hurt badly, Johnny. Stop trying to make a mountain out of a molehill with crying./ * /Sarah laughed at a mistake Betty made in class, and Betty won't speak to her; Betty is making a mountain out of a molehill./

[make a move] <v. phr.> 1. To budge; change places. * /"If you make a move," the masked gangster said, "I'll start shooting."/ 2. To go home after dinner or a party. * /"I guess it's time to make a move," Roy said at the end of the party./

[make a name for oneself] <v. phr.> To become recognized in a field of endeavor; become a celebrity. * /Joe has worked so hard at soybean trading that he made quite a name for himself as a trader./ * /Bill has made a name for himself both as a pianist and as a composer./

[make an appearance] See: PUT IN AN APPEARANCE.

[make an end of] <v. phr.> To make (something) end; put a stop to; stop. * /To make an end of rumors that the house was haunted, a reporter spent the night there./

[make an example of] <v. phr.> To punish (someone) publicly to show what happens when someone does wrong. * /The teacher made an example of the boy who copied from another student during a test./ * /The Pilgrims made an example of a thief by putting him in the stocks./

[make an exhibition of oneself] <v. phr.> To behave foolishly or embarrassingly in public. * /Stop drinking so much and making an exhibition of yourself./

[make a night of it] <v. phr.>, <informal> To spend the whole night at an activity. * /The dog found the door unlatched and made a night of it./ * /The boys and girls at the dance made a night of it./ Compare: MAKE A DAY OF IT.

[make a nuisance of oneself] <v. phr.> To constantly bother others. * /The screaming kids made a nuisance of themselves around the swimming pool./

[make a pass at] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> Make advances toward a member of the opposite sex (usually man to a woman) with the goal of seducing the person. * /We've been dating for four weeks but Joe has never even made a pass at me./

[make a pig of oneself] <v. phr.>, <informal> To overindulge; eat too much. * /Mary said, "This dessert is so delicious that I am going to make a pig of myself and have some more."/

[make a play for] <v. phr.>, <slang> To try to get the interest or liking of; flirt with; attract. * /Bob made a play for the pretty new girl./ * /John made a play for the other boys' votes for class president./

[make a point] <v. phr.> To try hard; make a special effort. - Used with "of" and a verbal noun. * /He made a point of remembering to get his glasses fixed./ * /He made a point of thanking his hostess before he left the party./

[make a practice of] <v. phr.> To make a habit of; do regularly. * /Make a practice of being on time for work./

[make a quick buck] See: FAST BUCK.

[make a racket] <v. phr.> To cause a lot of noisy disturbance. * /I wish the kids playing in the street wouldn't make such a racket while I'm trying to take a nap./

[make a scene] <v. phr.> To act hysterically; attract unfavorable attention. * /I didn't want Kate to make a scene in front of all of those people, so I gave her the money she wanted./

[make a splash] <v. phr.> To cause a sensation. * /The brilliant young pianist, barely 14 years old, made quite a splash on the concert circuit./

[make a stab at] <v. phr.> To try doing something at random without sufficient preparation. * /The singer was not familiar with the aria but she decided to make a stab at it anyhow./ Contrast: STAB IN THE BACK, STAB IN THE DARK.

[make a stand] <v. phr.> 1. To take a firm position on an issue. * /He keeps talking about politics hut he never makes a stand for what he believes in./ 2. To take up a defensive position against the enemy. * /The retreating troops decided to make a stand by the river./ Contrast: LAST DITCH, LAST STAND.

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