lake

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“
All round the lake is a green and open space with scrubs standing back, and the white lake-bed in the centre.

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Definitions (39)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (5)

  1. noun A large inland body of fresh water or salt water.
  2. noun A scenic pond, as in a park.
  3. noun A large pool of liquid: a lake of spilled coffee on my desk.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (27)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (4)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

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Examples (50)

  • There are islands in that lake: that which lies in the centre of the lake is the island which ye must seek, for on it stands the ruined temple of the Sun, beneath the great marble floor of which lies--lies--the--Yea, great Lord and Father, I come And, sinking back among the branches of the bush which supported him, Vilcamapata, the one-time priest of the Sun, closed his eyes as a torrent of blood gushed from his mouth, and quietly passed away Internal haemorrhage!" —  Two Gallant Sons of Devon A Tale of the Days of Queen Bess
  • But no one dares approach them more nearly, for the air from the lake is at this season, though perfectly harmless to the flamingo, deadly poison to a human creature Taught by God, the flamingo has, however, another means of security than the malaria from the intrusion which its brilliant colouring would be sure to draw upon it. —  Mamma's Stories about Birds
  • Breaking clouds rolled before the sunrise, and the lake was all a-glitter when we pushed away in dancing canoes to find the outlet. —  Days Off And Other Digressions
  • At the end of the lake is a small promontory with a castellated building, commanding a fine view of the distant Alps The route after Culoz is considerably elevated. —  Fair Italy, the Riviera and Monte Carlo Comprising a Tour Through North and South Italy and Sicily with a Short Account of Malta
  • The neighbourhood of the lake was alive with feather. —  The Heart of Unaga
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Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

river ·  ocean ·  pool ·  valley ·  mountain ·  island ·  bay ·  sky ·  beach ·  garden ·  fountain ·  cave

Used in the same contextWord Family

lake:   lakes

Etymologies (8)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. Middle English, from Old French lac and from Old English lacu, both from Latin lacus.
  2. From French laque; see lac.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (6)

  1. from Middle English lake, a lake, a stream, from Anglo-Saxon lacu, a lake, pool; merged in Middle English with Anglo-French lake, lak, Old French lac, F. lac = Spanish Portuguese Italian lago; from Latin lacus, a large body of water, a basin, tank, or cistern of water, pit, hollow, = Greek λ/ακκος, a hole, pit, pond; = Irish Gael, loch (later Anglo-Saxon luh, English lough, Scots loch) = Welsh llwch = Cornish lo = Breton louch, a lake (see loch and lough, which are thus ult. identical with lake), = Anglo-Saxon lagu, lago (later Middle English laie, laye, etc.: see lay) = Old Saxon lagu (in comp.) = Icelandic lögr, the sea, water: also in Anglo-Saxon lagu = OHG, lagu = Icelandic lögr = Gothic (Moesogothic) lagus, the name of the Runic form of the letter L. Cf. lache, latch, leach, a pit, etc.
  2. Also laik: and, by corruption, lark, q. v.; from Middle English lake, laiken, layken, from Anglo-Saxon lācan (preterit leóle, lēc, past participle lācen), swing, wave, float (as a ship), flutter (as a bird), play, sport, play (an instrument) (chiefly a poet, word), = Middle High German leichen = Icel, leika = Goth, laikan (preterit lailaik), leap, dance. Cf. lake, n. The word now exists only in dial. use in the Northern form lake, laik (or in the corrupt form lark), instead of the reg. Southern form lake.
  3. Also laik and, corruptly, lark, q. v.; from Middle English lake, laik, layke, also loke, play, sport, gift, from Anglo-Saxon lāc, play (battle-play), struggle, an offering, gift, present, medicine, = Gothic (Moesogothic) laiks, a dance; from the verb: see lake, v. Hence ult. leech, leech, and loke (a variant of lake), and -lock in wedlock.
  4. from French lague, lac, from Persian lāk, lake, from lak, lac: see lac.
  5. Middle English, from Old Dutch laken, Dutch laken, linen, cloth, a sheet, = Old Saxon lacan = Middle Low German laken, cloth, = Old High German lakhan, lachan, Middle High German lachen, German laken = Icelandic lakan = Danish lagen = Swedish lakan, a sheet.
  6. lake, n.
 

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/leɪk/
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