letter of credit
- n a document issued by a bank that guarantees the payment of a customer's draft; substitutes the bank's credit for the customer's credit
letter of intent
- n any letter expressing an intention to take (or forgo) some action
letdown
- n a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized
lethal gene
- n any gene that has an effect that causes the death of the organism at any stage of life
lethargic encephalitis
- n an encephalitis that was epidemic between 1915 and 1926; symptoms include paralysis of the extrinsic eye muscle and extreme muscular weakness
lethargy
- n a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness)
- n weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy
- n inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
lethe
- n (Greek mythology) a river in Hades; the souls of the dead had to drink from it, which made them forget all they had done and suffered when they were alive
leto
- n wife or mistress of Zeus and mother of Apollo and Artemis in ancient mythology; called Latona in Roman mythology
letter
- n a written message addressed to a person or organization
mailed an indignant letter to the editor - n the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech
his grandmother taught him his letters - n owner who lets another person use something (housing usually) for hire
- n a strictly literal interpretation (as distinct from the intention)
he followed instructions to the letter
he obeyed the letter of the law - n an award earned by participation in a school sport
he won letters in three sports - v win an athletic letter
- v set down or print with letters
- v mark letters on or mark with letters
letter bomb
- n a thin explosive device inside an envelope or package and detonated when opened
- v send an explosive to
letter bond
- n a bond that has not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and cannot be sold to the general public