leen.1
/liː/, U.S. /li/ 1.
a. Protection, shelter, rarely plural. Also in phrases in, under (the) lee (of) both in material and immaterial senses. †Also, a resting-place.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > refuge or shelter > [noun] > shelter
leeOE
lewthc1000
shadowc1200
coverturec1450
hele?1527
burrow1577
shelter1595
lown1603
umbrage1607
shield1615
lew1908
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > refuge or shelter > [phrase] > in or under the shelter of
in, under (the) lee (ofOE
under covert1477
under (the) covert of1477
under coverc1540
under the shelter of1595
in (the) covert of1611
under (the) cover of1726
OE Cynewulf Crist II 606 He us æt giefeð ond æhta sped, welan ofer widlond, ond weder liþe under swegles hleo.
c1000 Ags. Ps. cviii. 10 Þonne hi to his huse hleowes wil~nian.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 188 Wið feasten. wið wecchen..wið heard werunge. heard leohe.
a1300 Cursor Mundi 23326 Þat þai þe sorfuller sal be Þat losen folili has þat le.
a1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. App. iv. 62 Þen most Merci..lenge wiþ vs in leo and lede.
?a1400 Morte Arth. 1446 We lurkede undyr lee as lowrande wreches!
c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 277 Þenne he lurkkes & laytes where watz le best.
1513 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid vii. Prol. 79 The silly scheip and thair lytill hyrd gromis Lurkis vndir le of bankis.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 55 It is a bosum of the Sey, in the ley of a hich montane conteyned.
1623 W. Drummond Cypresse Groue in Flowres of Sion 64 Any Mariner..arriuing neare the Shore, would..joyfully enter the leas of a saue Harbour.
1624 J. Smith Gen. Hist. Virginia (Arb.) ii. iii. 446 Our quarter..was onely the open woods under the lay of a hill.
1630 Tincker of Turvey 66 To come under the Lee of Wedlock.
1655 H. L'Estrange Reign King Charles 96 Sheltered under the Lee of Royal favour.
1821 J. W. Croker Diary 3 June (1884) He wishes to have Peel under his lee.
1847 D. G. Mitchell Fresh Gleanings (1851) 223 Cameron was thinking of Rob Roy's cave under the Lea of Ben Lomond.
1863 J. R. Wise New Forest 193 The labourer still sits under the lew..of the hedge.
1873 G. C. Davies Mountain, Meadow & Mere xiii. 101 There he is under the lee of the opposite bank.
1901 Speaker 5 Jan. 375/2 Under the lee of the Turkish guns.
b. dialect. Something constructed as a shelter.
ΚΠ
1794 Ann. Agric. 22 273 Looes or frames..are fixed all round the kiln.
1887 W. D. Parish & W. F. Shaw Dict. Kentish Dial. Lees, a row of trees planted to shelter a hop-garden.
1887 W. D. Parish & W. F. Shaw Dict. Kentish Dial. Lew, a thatched hurdle, supported by sticks, and set up in a field to screen lambs, etc. from the wind.
1896 W. W. Skeat & T. Hallam Pegge's Two Coll. Derbicisms Lee, shelter; a Sheep-lee, a wall on the moors for the sheep to stand under in bad weather.
2.
a. Chiefly Nautical. The sheltered side of any object; hence the side (of a ship, the land, an eminence, etc.) that is turned away from the wind. Frequent in beneath, under the lee (of)).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > quality of having sides or being a side > alongside [phrase] > on the sheltered side
beneath, under the lee (of)c1540
on, upon, to (the) leeward (ofc1550
(to bring, fall) by the lee1597
the world > space > relative position > quality of having sides or being a side > [noun] > fact of having distinct sides > one or other side or hand > side facing specific direction > sheltered side
leec1540
leewardc1550
leewards1574
lee side1577
aleeward1599
lown side1683
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 2806 Paris..Shot into ship with shene men of Armys; Lausit loupis fro the le.
1589 Voy. W. Towrson in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations i. 99 The 12. day we saw a saile vnder our Lee.
1590 R. Greene Neuer too Late i. 49 He that at euerie gust puts to the Lee shall neuer be good Nauigator.
1591 J. Harington tr. L. Ariosto Orlando Furioso x. xvi. 74 They bore To come within the lue of Scottish banke.
c1595 T. Maynarde Sir Francis Drake his Voy. (1849) 8 Becalmed under the lee of the land.
?a1600 ( R. Sempill Legend Bischop St. Androis in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xlv. Pref. 350 He lattis his scheip tak in at luife and lie.
1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. xiii. 62 They are to come vnder the Lee of the Admirall to salute him.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 207 The Pilot..Moors by his side under the Lee . View more context for this quotation
1720 D. Defoe Life Capt. Singleton 271 We run in as much under the Lee of the Point as we could.
1762 W. Falconer Shipwreck ii. 33 Rocky shores beneath our lee appear.
1815 W. Scott Lord of Isles i. xxiv. 31 Beneath the Castle's sheltering lee, They staid their course in quiet sea.
1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto II xlv. 141 A tight boat will live in a rough sea, Unless with breakers close beneath her lee.
1855 O. W. Holmes Poems 164 She rends the clinging sea, That flies before the roaring wind, Beneath her hissing lee.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xxi. 146 Against..the Matterhorn the vapour was chilled and precipitated in his lee.
1881 H. Smith & C. R. Smith Isle of Wight Words Lew, the lee side.
1884 D. Pae Eustace 129 The lieutenant sails as smooth as a pinnace under his lee.
b. Nautical phrases. †at lee: (a) windbound; (b) under shelter. †(to bring, fall) by the lee: to leeward; also figurative. †(to bring, lay, lie) upon the lee: with sails aback. on, under (the) lee: to leeward = alee adv.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > [phrase] > windbound
at lee1597
the world > space > relative position > quality of having sides or being a side > alongside [phrase] > on the sheltered side
beneath, under the lee (of)c1540
on, upon, to (the) leeward (ofc1550
(to bring, fall) by the lee1597
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of sails, spars, or rigging > with sails set [phrase] > aback
at staysa1586
(to bring, lay, lie) upon the lee1597
1597 J. Payne Royall Exchange 33 The ship on hull, the helme on lee.
1607 J. Marston What you Will ii. i, in Wks. (1856) I. 238 Shoot him through and through with a jest; make him lye by the lee.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Bouter vent en penne, to bring a ship vpon the Lee.
a1618 W. Raleigh Apol. Voy. Guiana 7 in Judicious & Sel. Ess. (1650) The Thunder..by the negligence of her Master, was at Lee in the Thames.
1630 J. Taylor Fight at Sea in Wks. iii. 34/2 They..passed from vs to lay their ships by the Lee.
a1643 W. Monson Naval Tracts v, in A. Churchill & J. Churchill Coll. Voy. (1704) III. 507/1 The Ship lay upon the Lee; and..the Master called with the Whistle to fill the Sails.
1666 London Gaz. No. 59/2 An Hollands Man of War..whom she fought very bravely, and at last brought by the Lee, but had not Men enough to board her.
1667 London Gaz. No. 120/1 One of them..was so warmly received with a broadside, that he immediately fell by the Lee.
1692 Smith's Sea-mans Gram. (new ed.) i. xvi. 79 A Ship lies by the Lee, that is, has all her sails lying flat against the Masts and Shrouds.
1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine (at cited word) To leeward, ‘We saw a fleet under the lee’, and, ‘We saw a fleet to-leeward’, are synonimous expressions.
1825 A. Cunningham Wet Sheet & Flowing Sea (song) i Away the good ship flies, and leaves Old England on the lee.
1887 C. Bowen tr. Virgil Æneid iii, in tr. Virgil in Eng. Verse 171 Yonder her nearest coast fate wills thee to leave on the lee.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > quietness or tranquillity > [noun]
stillnessc888
roOE
stilth?c1225
lowna1250
peacea1275
restc1350
tranquillityc1374
leea1400
tranquille1412
quietness?a1425
quiet?c1450
restfulnessc1450
quiety?a1500
quietation?1504
calm1547
calmness1561
peacefulnessa1566
halcyon1567
repose1577
quietude1598
still1608
hushtness1609
reposedness1616
reposeness1617
serenity1641
undisturbedness1649
indisturbance1660
pacateness1666
sleep1807
tranquilness1818
requiescence1837
reposefulness1872
the world > action or operation > inaction > quietness or tranquillity > be quiet or tranquil [verb (intransitive)] > live in peace and quiet
to leng, live, rest in (or on) leea1400
a1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. (1892) 477/10 Þe Mon þat þenkeþ to liuen in le.
a1400–50 Alexander 5615 He lengis in lithis & in lee to his lyues ende.
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 849 To lede a lortschyp in lee of leudeȝ ful gode.
c1425 Wyntoun Cron. vii. x. 3620 Alysandyr..Scotland led in luwe and lé.
c1450 (c1400) Emaré (1908) 348 The wedur was lythe of le.
c1480 (a1400) St. Adrian 416 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 284 Of þe fare nowmir for to be of haly men, & reste in le.
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Paddock & Mouse l. 2932 in Poems (1981) 109 Better but stryfe to leif allane in le.
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. b Lordingis in le I rede ye tent treuly to my teching.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 128 Amang thair freindis for to leve in lie.
a1650 Turke & Gowin 47 in Furnivall Percy Folio I. 92 I will neuer flee from noe aduenture..whilest I may liue on lee.
Compounds
C1. Simple attributive, passing into adjective.
a. Indicating that an object is on the lee-side of a vessel, or to leeward of some other object, e.g. lee-bowline, lee-division, lee-gunwale, lee-rail, lee-scupper, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > part of vessel above water > [noun] > rails or mouldings > at sides
lee-rail1513
waist1667
sheer-rail1769
rough-tree rail1780
foot rail1781
waist-rail1804
side rail1903
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid v. i. 30 Himself infangis the le scheit of the saill.
1626 J. Smith Accidence Young Sea-men 28 Make ready your loufe howks and ley fagnes.
1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. i. 16 Let go the Lee-Bowling of Fore-sail, and Weather-Braces.
1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. i. 18 Set in the Lee-Braces.
1726 Four Years Voy. Capt. G. Roberts 291 They could help to stay her with a Lee Oar.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson ii. iv. 163 The Commodore ordered them to bring to under his lee-quarter.
1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle II. lxix. 250 He..commanded the men to carry the vessel's lee-gunwale under water.
1805 Log of H.M.S. Mars 21 Oct. in Ld. Nelson Dispatches & Lett. (1846) VII. 165 (note) At daylight saw the Enemy's Fleet on our lee-beam.
1805 Log of H.M.S. Mars 21 Oct. in Ld. Nelson Dispatches & Lett. (1846) VII. 166 (note) At 9.5 answered Victory's signal for the Mars to lead the lee division.
1823 J. F. Cooper Pioneers I. xv. 223 Hauling in the slack of the lee-sheet.
1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. xii. 174 O'Brien..told me never to mind, but to keep in the lee-scuppers.
1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. xv. 241 She careened over so that her lee channels were under the water.
1834 F. Marryat Pacha I. v. 109 We descried land on the lee beam.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Lee-fang, a rope rove through the cringle of a sail, for hauling in, so as to lace on a bonnet.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Lee-gunwale under, a colloquial phrase for being sorely over-pressed, by canvas or other cause.
1893 F. M. Crawford Children of King I. 9 You would rather..take the lee earing too, in any gale.
1897 R. Kipling Captains Courageous 188 She cuddled her lee~rail down to the crashing blue.
1913 J. London Let. 20 Nov. (1966) 410 Sailing with lee-rail continually buried.
1961 F. H. Burgess Dict. Sailing 132 Lee rail awash, with, heeled well over.
b. Implying motion to leeward.
ΚΠ
1726 Four Years Voy. Capt. G. Roberts 120 The Lee-Tide being made, I fell short by half a League.
1790 R. Beatson Naval & Mil. Mem. I. 157 The strong lee current.
1848 J. Craig New Universal Dict. Lee lurch, a sudden and violent roll of a ship to lee~ward in a high sea, when a large wave strikes her on the weather side.
1859 R. H. Dana To Cuba i. 7 The..leisurely weather-roll and lee-roll.
C2. Special combinations. Also lee-board n.1, lee shore n., lee side n.
lee-anchor n. (see quot.).
ΚΠ
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Lee-anchor, the leeward one, if under weigh; or that to leeward to which a ship, when moored, is riding.
lee-bow n. the bow of a vessel that is turned away from the wind; hence lee-bow vb., to run under the lee bow of; figurative to take advantage of.
ΚΠ
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World v. 100 Some of them appeared on our Weather-bow, some on our Lee-bow.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xxv. 83 The anchor on the lee bow had worked loose.
1893 Outing 22 96/1 Hauling her close on the wind so that she would ‘lee-bow’ the tide.
lee-gage n. (see gauge n. 5).
lee-hatch n.
ΚΠ
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. (at cited word) Take care of theLee hatch, a word of caution to the helmsman, not to let the ship fall to leeward of her course.
lee-hitch n. (see quots.).
ΚΠ
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. (at cited word) Lee-hitch, the helmsman getting to leeward of the course.
lee-helm n. the helm when ‘down’ (cf. down with the helm at helm n.2 1c).
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > action or motion of vessel > [noun] > ability to answer helm > tendency to go off course
sag1589
weather-helm1691
griping1769
slackness1877
lee-helm1883
weathercocking1952
1883 Man. Seamanship for Boys' Training Ships Royal Navy (1886) 78 If carrying too much weather~helm, shift the weights further aft; if lee-helm, further forward.
1948 R. de Kerchove Internat. Maritime Dict. 407/1 A sailing craft is said to carry lee helm when the helm has to be kept alee to counteract slackness and keep it on its course.
1962 A. G. Course Dict. Naut. Terms 120 Lee helm, a term used in sailing ships to indicate that the tiller is to leeward and the rudder and wheel to windward.
lee ho! n. (see quots.).
ΚΠ
1927 G. Bradford Gloss. Sea Terms 99/2 Lee ho!, a command given by English yachtsmen preparatory to bringing a boat about; same as hard a lee.
lee o! n. (see quots.).
ΚΠ
1961 F. H. Burgess Dict. Sailing 133 Lee-o, the helmsman's warning to a crew before going about.
lee-latch n. ‘dropping to leeward of the course’ (Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 1867).
ΚΠ
1721 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Lee-latch, (Sea Phrase) have a care of the Lee-Latch, i.e. keep the Ship near the Wind.
lee-most adj. furthest to leeward.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of wind > [adjective] > leeward
lee?a1500
lee-most1622
leeward1627
leewardmost1693
1622 R. Hawkins Observ. Voiage South Sea iii. 7 The vice-Admirall and her consort..were lee-most and stern most of all.
1804 Capt. Owen in Naval Chron. 12 132 The leemost Brigs began to get under weigh.
lee-port n. a sheltered port.
ΚΠ
1623 W. Drummond Cypresse Groue in Flowres of Sion 68 Lords and Gods of this Earth, sleeping in the lee port of honour.
lee wheel n. ‘the assistant to the helmsman’ (Adm. Smyth).
Derivatives
lee v. rare See alee adv., transitive, to put (the helm) a-lee.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > steering > steer [verb (transitive)] > work the rudder > turn helm or tiller to specific position
port1580
starboard1605
to right the (also one's) helm1627
leea1668
to up with1860
a1668 W. Davenant Wks. (1673) ii. 92 The Master alowd bids, Lee the Helm, Lee!
Draft additions 1997
lee wave n. Meteorology a standing wave generated on the leeward side of an obstacle by an airflow passing over or round it.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > gas > air > [noun] > air-wave > others
gravity wave1877
lee wave1955
1955 Tellus 7 367 The stationary lee-waves produced by a big mountain often break up into turbulent..whirls or ‘rotors’ in the lower layers of the air flow.
1966 McGraw-Hill Encycl. Sci. & Technol. (rev. ed.) XIV. 417/2 Internal waves have been found in the atmosphere as lee waves (waves in the wind stream down-wind from a mountain) and as waves propagated along an inversion layer.
1982 R. G. Barry & R. J. Chorley Atmosphere, Weather & Climate (ed. 4) ii. 94 A series of lee waves developed in the tropospheric airflow.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1902; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
leen.2
/liː/, U.S. /li/ Obsolete except in plural.
The sediment deposited in the containing vessel from wine and some other liquids.† 1. singular. Also figurative. Also upon the lee, to drain to the lee. Cf. 2d below. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > wine-making > [noun] > deposits
argolc1386
tartarc1386
upon the lee1390
wine-leesc1400
wine-stone1526
fechia1704
white friars1745
beeswing1860
crust of wine1863
wine-crust1872
flor1873
wine ball-
the world > matter > constitution of matter > density or solidity > state of being solid rather than fluid > [noun] > solid matter which falls to bottom of liquid
drega1300
groundsa1340
upon the lee1390
foundersc1450
residence1539
sediment1547
resident1558
precipitate1594
settling1594
precipitation1605
crassament1615
subsistence1622
subsidence1646
sedimen1655
crassamentum1657
deposit1781
sludge1839
ppt1864
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (M.) iii. 895 (I. 309) And thus fuloften have I boght The lie, And drank noght of the wyn.
c1430 Two Cookery-bks. 32 Whan þe ley is seþin hot, caste þe Pesyn þer-to.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Myrrour of Worlde i. i. 6 The lye whiche is thordure abideth byneth in the bottom.
1669 C. Merret Some Observ. conc. ordering Wines in W. Charleton Two Disc. 205 The gross Lees settle quickly and also the flying Lee in time.
1686 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Staffs. ix. 338 Which..will both stop the fermentation and precipitate the Lee.
1700 J. Dryden tr. G. Boccaccio Sigismonda & Guiscardo in Fables 135 A Man so smelling of the Peoples Lee.
1709 London Gaz. No. 4512/14 For Sale,..70 Hogsheads of new..Claret upon the Lee neat.
1718 M. Prior Henry & Emma 497 I'll mingle with the people's wretched lee.
1747 Gentleman's Mag. Oct. 468/1 This cyder..should be rack'd off once at least from its gross lee.
1813 J. Hogg Queen's Wake ii. xiii. 194 Sweet though the draught of pleasure be, Why should we drain it to the lee?
2. † c. construed as singular. Obsolete.
a. plural.
ΚΠ
c1384 G. Chaucer Hous of Fame iii. 1040 Boystes Crammed ful of lyes As euer vessel was with lyes.
c1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 115 The reboyle to Rakke to þe lies of þe rose.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 239/1 Lyse of wyne, lye.
1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 54v There is..no wine made of grapes but hath leese.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State ii. xvi. 110 Wines the stronger they be the more lees they have when they are new.
1692 R. Bentley Confut. Atheism from Struct. & Origin Humane Bodies: Pt. II 11 Where all the heavier Lees may have time to subside.
1704 J. Swift Disc. Mech. Operat. Spirit ii, in Tale of Tub 313 Other Spirits are produced from Lees, by the Force of Fire.
1747 H. Glasse Art of Cookery xx. 159 Lay them to steep in Sack-Lees, or any White Wine-Lees.
1763 J. Brown Diss. Poetry & Music vi. 119 Thespis and his Company bedaubed their Faces with the Lees of Wine.
1830 M. Donovan Domest. Econ. I. vii. 257 The lees of wine, on distillation, afford the greatest quantity of oil.
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour II. 132/1 Composed of the scum and lees of all broths and soups.
1883 Great Internat. Fisheries Exhib. Catal. 352 A Bottle containing Lees of Sardine Oil.
b. figurative. Basest part, ‘dregs’, ‘refuse’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > refuse or rubbish > [noun] > refuse part of anything
dreg1531
tail1542
excrement1576
lee1593
garbage1598
recrement1599
tap-lash1623
ground1629
gross1708
tailings1889
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > that which is unimportant > worthless > collectively
riff-raff1526
trumpery1531
triff-traff1547
trashery1557
dudgeon1593
lee1593
sweeping1641
lumber1649
worthless1758
trashtrie1786
tagraggery1837
flotsam1861
tat1951
1593 T. Nashe Christs Teares 30 a Twenty thousand of these dreggy lees of Libertines.
1621 S. Ward Life of Faith xiii. 116 In these Lees and Dregges of time.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xxix. 174 Pretenders to Politicall Prudence..bred for the most part in the Lees of the people.
1677 W. Hubbard Narr. Troubles with Indians New-Eng. 119 This company of Treacherous Villains, the Dregs and Lees of the Earth.
1706 R. Estcourt Fair Example i. i. 11 A Man that will always smell of the Lees of the People.
1744 J. Thomson Winter in Seasons (new ed.) 212 He too, with whom Athenian Honour sunk, And left a Mass of sordid Lees behind.
1838 H. Hallam Introd. Lit. Europe (1841) I. ii. 216 Slowly purging off the lees of this extreme corruption.
1851 H. Melville Moby-Dick vii. 40 My body is but the lees of my better being.
1859 C. Kingsley Misc. I. 166 The angler..has left for his day's work only the lees of his nervous energy.
1868 H. H. Milman Ann. St. Paul's Cathedral ix. 220 It is impossible to work a revolution, especially a religious revolution, without stirring up the lees of human nature.
ΚΠ
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) ii. iii. 94 The Wine of Life is drawne, and the meere Lees Is left this Vault, to brag of. View more context for this quotation
d. In various phrases, chiefly figurative, esp. to drain, drink the lees, (to drain, drink, etc.) to the lees, i.e. to the last drop, to the very end, (to settle) on or upon the lees.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > completing > complete (an action or piece of work) [verb (transitive)] > perform or experience completely
to play out1598
(to drain, drink, etc.) to the lees1611
to drain, drink the lees1611
the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > completely [phrase] > to the end
to the lasta1393
(to drain, drink, etc.) to the lees1611
to the end of the chapter1692
1611 Bible (King James) Isa. xxv. 6 A feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees . View more context for this quotation
1611 Bible (King James) Jer. xlviii. 11 Moab hath bene at ease from his youth, and hee hath setled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessell to vessell. View more context for this quotation
1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus i. 7 They may not part till they have drunk..the cup of the wrath of God to the very lees.
1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus ii. 6 Settle the soule vpon his lees of sinnefull lusts.
a1639 H. Wotton Parallel betweene Earle of Essex & Duke of Buckingham (1641) 3 His humours grew Tart, as being now in the Lees of favour.
1667 M. Poole Dialogue between Popish Priest & Protestant (1735) 75 You are an obstinate Heretick, and settled upon the Lees.
1696 N. Tate & N. Brady New Version Psalms of David lxxv. 8 To drink the very Lees.
1780 W. Cowper Progress of Error 260 Are sweet philosophy's enjoyments run Quite to the lees?
1820 J. Keats Lamia i, in Lamia & Other Poems 11 She felt the warmth..And, like new flowers at morning song of bees, Bloom'd, and gave up her honey to the lees.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Ulysses in Poems (new ed.) II. 88 I will drink Life to the lees.
1847 B. Disraeli Tancred I. ii. i. 90 This Parliament will last; it will go on to the lees.
1854 H. H. Milman Hist. Lat. Christianity II. iv. ii. 38 They were doomed to drink the lees of humiliation.
1856 G. H. Boker Poems (1857) II. 80 I'll drain the bitter to the very lees.
1868 J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. I. 41 The people at large were content to settle down on their lees.
1871 E. B. Pusey Lenten Serm. (1883) vii. 141 We reverse the Apostle's rule, rest on our lees, remember ‘the things which are behind’, and forget ‘those which are before’.
e. attributive.
ΚΠ
1706 J. Savage tr. R. de Piles Art of Painting 121 Leonardo's Carnations have too much of the Lees-Colour in them.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1902; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† leeadj.
Obsolete.
1. Sheltered from the wind.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of wind > [adjective] > leeward
lee?a1500
lee-most1622
leeward1627
leewardmost1693
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > refuge or shelter > [adjective] > of the nature of a shelter > sheltered > from the weather
lee?a1500
quiet1596
shaded1635
queem1673
lew1674
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Lion & Mouse l. 1580 in Poems (1981) 63 The fair forest with leuis, lowne and le.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid x. iv. 121 The famy stour of stremis le Vp weltis from the braid palmis of tre.
a1525 (c1448) R. Holland Bk. Howlat l. 18 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 95 The land lowne was and le with lyking & luf.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 4675 Þai..logget hom to lenge in þat le hauyn.
1674 J. Ray S. & E. Countrey Words in Coll. Eng. Words 70 Lee or Lew, Calm, under the wind. Suss.
2. The ballad phrase in quot. a1800 may possibly contain this word, used vaguely for ‘pleasant’.
ΚΠ
a1800 Sweet Willie & Faire Annie xxxv, in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Pop. Ballads (1885) II. iii. 189 He is on to Annie's bower By the lei light o the moon.
1875 J. Veitch Tweed 81 Exploits by lee light of the moon.]
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1902; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1OEn.2c1384
adj.?a1500