Vocabulary Word Meanings: From Kinetic, Kindle to Lucid, Ludicrous

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Kinetic

adj- in motion; active

A falling object has kinetic energy.

Kindle

verb- to start a fire; ignite; arouse

Also used as: Kindling- noun- thin twigs and to start a fire in a fireplace.

Often it is one special teacher who kindles a student՚s lifelong interest in a subject.

Languish

verb- lose energy or motivation; become weak or depressed

Also used as: Languor (noun) ; languorous (adj)

The unmotivated team languished in last place all season.

Latent

adj- existing but inactive, such as a certain quality; dormant or still; invisible

Also used as: Latency (noun)

A disease can remain in the body, latent and undetected for years.

Listless

adj- tired; sluggish; lacking drive energy

Also used as: Listlessness (noun) ; listlessly (adv)

People who have trouble sleeping are often listless during the day.

Loath

adj- reluctant; unwilling

Nancy loved her children, but she was loath to eat the breakfast they՚d made for her.

Loathe

verb- to hate enmity

Also used as: Loathsomeness, loathing (nouns) ; loathsome (adj) ; loathsomely (adv)

A child molester is a loathsome creature, even among other criminals.

Legacy

noun- something inherited, either from an ancestor or from the past itself

Note: A legacy could be a physical gift such as money or something abstract such as knowledge.

Her funding of the museum was a legacy to future generations.

Lethargic

adj- tired; sluggish; drowsy

Also used as: Lethargy (noun) ; lethargically (adv)

he՚d intended to mow the lawn but was too lethargic and simply fell asleep.

Lugubrious

adj- mournful

Also used as: Lugubriousness- noun; lugubriously- adv

Lugubrious music saturated the funeral service.

Laconic

adj- quiet; of few words; terse

A monastery might be the perfect place for a laconic man.

Lament

verb- express sorrow; complain

Also used as: Lament, lamentation- noun; lamentable- adj; lamentably- adv.

The embarrassing incident at the salad bar was simply a lamentable mistake.

Laud

verb- praise; worship; extol

Also used as: Laudatory, laudable- adj; laudably- adv

The review was completely laudatory- it didn՚t contain a single negative comment

Levity

noun- lightness; playfulness; jocularity

Even the most serious films usually have moments of levity.

Lionize

verb- to put someone onto a pedestal; to treat with great respect

Abraham Lincoln is now lionized by members of all political parties.

Lofty

adj- at a great height; elevated; noble

Also used as: Loftiness- noun

He was well into his eighties, yet he still had lofty goals.

Loquacious

adj- talkative

Also used as: Loquaciousness- noun; loquaciously- adv

The loquacious lady in the library irritated those trying to read.

Lucid

adj- easy- to understand; transparent; clear thinking

Also used as: Lucidity- noun; lucidly- adv

Jerome was surprisingly lucid for someone who had just fallen on his head.

Ludicrous

adj- absurd; ridiculous

Also used as: Ludicrousness- noun; ludicrously-adv

it՚s ludicrous to say secondhand smoke is harmless.