Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- conjunction For fear that.
- conjunction So that someone or something not; in case someone or something might.
from The Century Dictionary.
- For fear that; that … not; so that … not: as, he fled lest (or for fear that) he should be killed; take heed lest you fall (that you fall not).
- etc. A Middle English form of
last , least, list, lust.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb obsolete To listen.
- noun obsolete Lust; desire; pleasure.
- conjunction For fear that; that … not; in order that … not.
- conjunction That (without the negative particle); -- after certain expressions denoting
fear orapprehension . - adjective obsolete Last; least.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- conjunction For fear that; that . . . not; in order that . . . not; in case.
- conjunction That (without the negative particle); -- after certain expressions denoting fear or apprehension.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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An-Nahar (the right-wing, sectarian Christian, anti-Syrian (people), anti-Palestinian) newspaper has translated this article from Haaretz but it did not translate the title lest its readers get upset.
Thursday, November 30, 2006 As'ad 2006
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An-Nahar (the right-wing, sectarian Christian, anti-Syrian (people), anti-Palestinian) newspaper has translated this article from Haaretz but it did not translate the title lest its readers get upset.
Friday, November 24, 2006 As'ad 2006
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
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Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.
Atomic 2008
enghoff commented on the word lest
lest a monster I become.
September 16, 2007
Kristianto2010 commented on the word lest
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
1 Corinthians 1:17-25. Lest = in order to prevent, for fear that.
July 4, 2011