Lugubrious hints at a definition with its sound. The rare person might be able to speak the word in staccato, but most people roll the word off. It comes out slow and somehow depressing. As such, Eeyore epitomizes the adjective.
Lugubrious means to mourn in an exaggerated or affected manner. If that description doesn’t fit Eeyore and his general disposition toward life, I don’t know what term does. (Strangely enough, several other words that begin with “l” relate to Eeyore’s “lugubrious” condition.)
Lugubrious, however, is only one of many “l” words. Here are some others worth learning or revisiting.
Laborious
Adjective. (1300s) Devoted to labor: INDUSTRIOUS. Involving or characterized by hard or toilsome effort: LABORED. Adverb: laboriously. Noun: laboriousness.
(His first job entailed many laborious tasks, such as cleaning vent hoods, taking out the trash, and replacing the soda syrups.)
Lackadaisical
Adjective. [Irregular, from lackaday + -ical.] (1768) Lacking life, spirit, or zest: LANGUID. Adverb: lackadaisically.
(During the hot summer months, everyone becomes a bit more lackadaisical; no one wants to go out in the afternoon heat for work or play.)
Lady-Killer
Noun. (c. 1810) A man who is extremely attractive to women.
(Ananna hated the boy on sight for he was a lady-killer.)
Laissez-Faire
Noun. [From the French laissez faire. Imperative of laisser faire, to let (people) do (as they choose).] (1825) A doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the maintenance of peace and property rights. A philosophy or practice characterized by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference, especially with individual freedom of choice and action. Adjective: laissez-faire.
(Laissez-faire can be both a doctrine espoused by a country as well as a defining characteristic; Switzerland comes to mind when thinking about the policy and quality of laissez-faire.)
Lambent
Adjective. [From the Latin lambent-, lambens. Present participle of lambere, to lick—more at LAP.] (1647) Playing lightly on or over a surface: FLICKERING. Softly bright or radiant. Marked by lightness or brilliance, especially of expression. Adverb: lambently.
(The candles at the dinner table added the perfect lambent lighting, complementing Adam’s plans to ask Therese to marry him.)
Languor
Noun. [From the Middle English. From the Middle French. From the Latin. From languēre.] (1300s) Weakness or weariness of body or mind. SLUGGISHNESS. Synonym: see LETHARGY.
(The priest experienced a deep languor after spending the day scribing the book of Daniel.)
Laputan
Noun. (No date given.) An inhabitant of a flying island in Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels characterized by a neglect of useful occupations and a devotion to visionary projects. Adjective: Laputan.
(No one doubted the professor’s genius, but everyone questioned his execution; a Laputan flaw plagued the man throughout his tenure at the university.)
Lark
Noun. (c. 1811) Something done solely for fun or adventure: ESCAPADE.
Verb intransitive. [Probably an alteration of lake (to frolic).] (1813) To engage in harmless fun or mischief—usually used with about. Noun: larker.
(He said he pulled the prank as a lark, but the girl was so put out about it that she refused to talk with him for two weeks.)
Lassitude
Noun. [From the Middle French. From the Latin lassitudo. From lassus, weary—more at LET.] (1400s) A condition of weariness or debility: FATIGUE. A condition of listlessness: LANGUOR. Synonym: see LETHARGY.
(After he broke her heart, she evidenced a lassitude that took months to abate.)
Lay Out
Verb transitive. (1595) To prepare (a corpse) for viewing. Knock flat or unconscious. Plan in detail <lay out a campaign>. To mark (work) for drilling, machining, or filing. ARRANGE, DESIGN. DISPLAY, EXHIBIT. SPEND.
(During the third round, she lay out her opponent with a right hook, followed by a left jab.)
Lector
Noun. [From the Middle English. From the Late Latin, reader of the lessons in a church service. From the Latin, reader. From lectus, present participle.] (1300s) One who assists at a worship service chiefly by reading a lesson.
(The lector led the congregants in the liturgy every Sunday.)
Leg-Pull
Noun. [From the phrase to pull one’s leg.] (1915) A humorous deception or hoax.
(Everyone agreed that Geoffrey’s leg-pull was one for the record books; he spent weeks putting together the props, people, and set just to flummox his twin brother George.)
Lightship
Noun. (1837) A ship equipped with a brilliant light and moored at a place dangerous to navigation.
(“Along this stretch of coast,” the tour guide explained, “heavy fog was common, making it difficult for ships to spot reefs before it was too light. Some people in the surrounding towns moored lightships to ensure the men aboard the ships made it home safely.”)
Lionhearted
Adjective. (1708) COURAGEOUS, BRAVE.
(Richard wasn’t always known as “lionhearted.” It took years of acting brave before people hailed him as such.)
Lock, Stock, and Barrel
Adverb. [From the principal parts of a flintlock.] (1842) WHOLLY, COMPLETELY <the only thing which had not been sold lock, stock, and barrel with the…house was this piano—Marcia Davenport>.
(He refused to perform in the play unless he could direct it lock, stock, and barrel.)
Logjam
Noun. (1885) A jumble of logs jammed together in a watercourse. DEADLOCK, IMPASSE <trying to break the ~ in negotiations>. BLOCKAGE.
(It’s a wonder anything gets done in the United States with the logjams that fill the Senate and Congress.)
Lollygag
Verb intransitive. [Origin unknown.] (1868) To fool around: DAWDLE.
(She could lollygag with the best of them, losing hours to wandering the outlet mall.)
Luthier
Noun. [From the French. From luth, lute (from the Middle French, lut) + -ier, -er.] (1879) One who makes stringed musical instruments (as violins or guitars).
(Although he’d only lived in the city for a short time, he quickly developed a reputation as a quality luthier.)
Lycanthropy
Noun. [From the New Latin lycanthropia. From the Greek lykanthrōpia. From lykanthrōpos, werewolf. From lykos, wolf + anthrōpos, man—more at WOLF.] A delusion that one has become a wolf. The assumption of the form and characteristics of a wolf held to be possible by witchcraft or magic.
(Despite it being a myth, lycanthropy continues to capture many a person’s imagination.)
What are your favorite “l” words? Share them in the comments.
Image: Loren Javier (Creative Commons)