land-office business
A great rush of business.
It was a hot day, and the drive-ins were doing a land-office business in ice cream and cold drinks.
laugh off
To dismiss with a laugh as not important or not serious; not take seriously.
He had a bad fall while ice skating but he laughed it off.
You can't laugh off a ticket for speeding.
laugh one's head off
To laugh very hard; be unable to stop laughing.
Paul's stories are so wildly funny that I laugh my head off whenever he starts telling one of them.
lay off
To mark out the boundaries or limits.
He laid off a baseball diamond on the vacant lot.
To put out of work.
The company lost the contract for making the shoes and laid off half its workers.
If business continues to be slow, we will have to lay off some workers.
To stop bothering; leave alone. Usually used in the imperative.
Lay off me, will you? I have to study for a test.
To stop using or taking.
His doctor told him to lay off cigarettes.
If you’re trying to lose weight, you should lay off sweet things.
layoff
A systematic or periodical dismissal of employees from a factory or a firm.
Due to the poor economy, the car manufacturer announced a major layoff starting next month.
lead off
To begin; start; open.
Richardson led off the inning with a double.
We always let Henry lead off.
Mr. Jones led off with the jack of diamonds.
When the teacher asked if the film helped them to understand, Phil led off by saying that he learned a lot from it.
leave off
To come or put to an end; stop.
There is a high fence where the school yard leaves off and the woods begin.
Don told the boys to leave off teasing his little brother.
Marion put a marker in her book so that she would know where she left off.
let off steam
blow off steam
To let or make steam escape; send out steam.
The janitor let off some steam because the pressure was too high.
To get rid of physical energy or strong feeling through activity; talk or be very active physically after forced quiet.
After the long ride on the bus, the children let off steam with a race to the lake.
When the rain stopped, the boys let off steam with a ball game.
Bill's mother was very angry when he was late in coming home, and let off steam by walking around and around.
Bill had to take his foreman's rough criticisms all day and he would blow off steam at home by scolding the children.