Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

lest

[lest]

conjunction

  1. for fear that; so that (one) should not (used negatively to introduce a clause expressive of an action or occurrence requiring caution).

    He kept his notes by his side lest faulty memory lead him astray.

  2. that (used after words expressing fear, danger, etc.).

    There was danger lest the plan become known.



lest

/ ɛ /

conjunction

  1. so as to prevent any possibility that

    he fled the country lest he be captured and imprisoned

  2. (after verbs or phrases expressing fear, worry, anxiety, etc) for fear that; in case

    he was alarmed lest she should find out

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of lest1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English leste, contraction of the lesse the, thi les the; late Old English the ǣte, earlier ٳ̄ ǣ the, literally, “whereby less that” ( ٳ̄ instrumental case of the demonstrative and relative pronoun, ǣ less, the conjunction)
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of lest1

Old English the ǣte, earlier thӯ ǣ the, literally: whereby less that
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. lest we forget. lest we forget.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Ultimately, lest the bullpen arms become injured and/or ineffective, the manager said, “We’re going to need some depth out of some starters.”

From

The show is too far removed from its glory days, and Housewives are too tempted to soften their behavior, lest they face the ire of Bravo fans sitting at the edge of their seats, waiting for any reason to publicly call for someone’s removal from the show.

From

A flurry of executive orders cut federal funding for foreign aid, declared irregular immigration at the border an "invasion," targeted transgender Americans, rescinded diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and threatened universities and humanities institutions with funding cuts lest they comply.

From

That reserve needs to be consistently refilled, lest we find it depleted.

From

That reserve needs to be consistently refilled, lest we find it depleted.

From

Advertisement

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


less thanLester