lest

== English == === Etymology === c. 1200, contracted from Middle English les te (“less that”), from Old English þȳ lǣs þe (“whereby less that”), from þȳ (instrumental case of demonstrative article þæt (“that”)) + lǣs (“less”) + þe (“that,” relative particle). The þȳ was dropped and the remaining two words contracted into leste. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /lɛst/ Rhymes: -ɛst (obsolete) IPA(key): /liːst/ (Early Modern) IPA(key): /lɛst/, /lɛːst/ === Conjunction === lest (formal, literary) For fear that; that not; in order to prevent something from happening; in case. Synonym: (informal) before (after certain expressions denoting fear or apprehension) that (without the negative particle; introduces the reason for an emotion.) ==== Usage notes ==== This word has become archaic for many English speakers. lest is usually followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood in either the present or future tense. For example: Lest they be captured, the soldiers fled from the battlefield. Let him attend the ceremony which commemorates the achievements of his ancestors, lest he forget. In the future tense, when it is differentiated from the present, it is usually combined with should: Let us get to the station early, lest we should miss our connection. ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== === References === === Anagrams === SELT, let's, TESL, LETS, ELTs, TLEs, LTEs, lets, tels, elts == Czech == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Slavic *lьstь, from Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 (lists), from Proto-Germanic *listiz. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈlɛst] === Noun === lest f trick, ruse stratagem ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “lest”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957 “lest”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989 “lest”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026 === Anagrams === slet == Dutch == === Pronunciation === === Etymology 1 === From Middle Dutch lest. ==== Adjective ==== lest (not comparable) (dialectal, otherwise archaic) alternative form of laatst ===== Declension ===== ==== Adverb ==== lest (dialectal, otherwise archaic) alternative form of laatst ===== Derived terms ===== ==== References ==== van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “lest”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute Matthias de Vries; Lambert Allard te Winkel (1864), “lest”, in Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, published 2001 === Etymology 2 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== lest inflection of lessen: second/third-person singular present indicative (archaic) plural imperative == French == === Etymology === Inherited from Old French last, lest, from Old Dutch last, from Frankish *hlasti, from Proto-Germanic *hlastuz. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /lɛst/ === Noun === lest m (plural lests) dead weight; ballast ==== Derived terms ==== lâcher du lest lester === Further reading === “lest”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 === Anagrams === tels == German == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /leːst/ === Verb === lest inflection of lesen: second-person plural present plural imperative == Hungarian == === Etymology === les +‎ -t === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈlɛʃt] Hyphenation: lest Rhymes: -ɛʃt === Noun === lest accusative singular of les == Icelandic == === Etymology === From Middle Low German last, from Old Saxon *hlast, from Proto-West Germanic *hlasti (“burden, load”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈlɛst/ Rhymes: -ɛst === Noun === lest f (genitive singular lestar, nominative plural lestir or (chiefly of freight (on a ship)) lestar) train, file, row, line Synonym: röð railway train Synonym: járnbrautarlest cargo hold Synonyms: lestarrúm, vörurúm ton Synonym: tonn (obsolete) cargo, burden, load Synonyms: byrði, farmur (nautical) freight, cargo ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== lesta (“to load, to fill with cargo”) == Norwegian Bokmål == === Etymology 1 === ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /leːst/ ==== Verb ==== lest supine of lese === Etymology 2 === From Old Norse leistr, from Proto-Germanic *laistaz. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /lɛst/ ==== Noun ==== lest m (definite singular lesten, indefinite plural lester, definite plural lestene) a last (a tool in the shape of a human foot, for shaping or preserving the shape of shoes) (clothing) the foot-part of a stocking ===== Alternative forms ===== (non-standard since 2005) leist === Etymology 3 === ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /lɛst/ ==== Verb ==== lest (present tense lest, past tense lest) form removed with the spelling reform of 2005; superseded by less === References === “lest” in The Bokmål Dictionary. === Anagrams === selt, slet, stel == Norwegian Nynorsk == === Etymology 1 === From Old Norse leistr m, from Proto-Germanic *laistaz m (“track, trace; footprint”), from Proto-Indo-European *lóystos, from the root *leys- (“to trace, track”). Akin to English last, Swedish läst, and German Leisten. ==== Alternative forms ==== leist ==== Noun ==== lest m (definite singular lesten, indefinite plural lestar, definite plural lestane) a last (a tool in the shape of a human foot, for shaping or preserving the shape of shoes) (clothing) the foot-part of a stocking ===== Derived terms ===== lesta, leste (verb) === Etymology 2 === From Old Norse lest f, from either Old English hlæst, Old Frisian hlest, or Middle Low German last. In any case, from Proto-Germanic *hlastuz and Doublet of last m. ==== Noun ==== lest m (definite singular lesten, indefinite plural lester or lestar, definite plural lestene or lestane) (historical) An old measure of volume, about 12 to 24 barrels. (historical) An old measure of weight, about half up until a full dozen skippund. (historical, nautical) An old unit of measure on the freight capacity of a ship. ===== Derived terms ===== kommerselest m === Etymology 3 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== lest past of låst === Etymology 4 === From the verb leiste (“to grow over”). ==== Noun ==== lest m (definite singular lesten, indefinite plural lestar, definite plural lestane) straws and grasses that grow close to each other sprouting grasses and grains === References === === Anagrams === selt, stel == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French lest. === Noun === lest n (plural lesturi) ballast load ==== Declension ====