15,000 words and phrases from more than 50 languages and their

la cruz en los pechos y el diablo en los hechos 184
la cruz en los pechos y el diablo en los hechos [Sp], the cross on one's
breast and the devil in one's deeds.
Ladino [Sp], lit., cunning; a language based on Old Spanish and written
in a modified Hebrew alphabet, used by some Sephardic Jews.
—ladino [Am Sp], mestizo; a person of mixed Spanish and Indian
ancestry in the U.S., typically following Spanish customs and speaking
Spanish; a vicious, unmanageable horse full of cunning.
La Divina Commedia [It], The Divine Comedy: title of Dante's immortal
epic.
ladno [Russ], all right.
laesa maiestas [L], lese majesty; high treason.
laevus [L; fern, laeva], left; left-handed.
la fame non vuoi leggi [It], hunger has (or knows) no laws.
la farce est jouée [Fr], the farce is over: Rabelais (last words). Cf. ACTA
EST FABULA.
l'affaire s'achemine [Fr], the affair is progressing.
la fleur des pois [Fr], the height of fashion.
la fortune passe partout [Fr], fortune passes everywhere; the vicissitudes
of fortune are felt everywhere.
la garde meurt et ne se rend pas [Fr], the guard dies and does not
surrender: ascribed to General Cambronne, commander of the Old
Guard at Waterloo. (Cambronne is commonly supposed to have used
an expletive resembling the sound but not the meaning of meurt (dies)
instead of the first three words of the quotation, but his real words
were censored for posterity.)
lagniappe or lagnappe [Louisiana Fr], a trifling complimentary present
given by a tradesman to a customer; gratuity: Louisiana. Cf. PILON.
lago [It, Pg, &: Sp], lake,
λα^ώς καθέυδων [Gr; lagös katheudön], a sleeping hare; a man with
his weather eye open.
lagrimoso [It], tearfully; plaintively: music.
Lagting [Norw], upper house of the Norwegian legislature.
la haute politique [Fr], affairs of state.
laisser-aller [Fr], lit., let go; a letting go; unconstraint; unlimited
freedom.
laisser-faire [Fr], lit., let act; a letting alone; noninterference, esp. by
government in trade, industry, and individual action generally.
laissez-nous faire [Fr], let us alone.
lait [Fr], milk. —au lait, with milk. —lait coupé, milk and water.
laitance [Fr], milt; soft roe; milky fluid exuding from concrete newly
laid under water.
laitue [Fr], lettuce.
lakh [Hind]. See LAC.
l'allegro [It], the cheerful (or merry) man.
lama [Tibetan blama], Buddhist monk of Tibet and Mongolia.