lest

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“
Suddenly I fear becoming even casually acquainted with a new title lest I somehow curse it to dismal failure.

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. conjunction For fear that: tiptoed lest the guard should hear her; anxious lest he become ill.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

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Examples (27)

  • Does it not arise from a fear--lest, if we trust him with our provision, he might choose for us and ours the portion he chose for the Son of his love? —  Christian Devotedness
  • We are told that he never took up his pen till he had heated his imagination by wine, nor ever attempted to describe a battle till he had drunk two bottles--lest, as he said jestingly, the horrors of the combat should enfeeble his style! —  The Book-Hunter at Home
  • Enemy or no, I would if possible save him from being torn to pieces by a furious dog As I ran, I called to him as I had heard his mistress call, and in French, lest he might not understand English bas, Leon! —  The Rose of Old St. Louis
  • I reined up, instantly; and as he came level I plucked his sleeve James," I whispered in Italian, lest Dolly should catch even a phrase of what I said--"not a word. —  Oddsfish!
  • Kelly, who was furious, but still collected and decisive, shouted out in Irish, lest the opposite party might understand him, 'Let every two men seize upon one of those who have the arms This was attempted, and effected with partial success; and I have no doubt but the Orangemen would have been ultimately beaten and deprived of their weapons, were it not that many of them, who had got their pistols out of Sherlock's, discharged them among their enemies, and wounded several. —  The Station; The Party Fight And Funeral; The Lough Derg Pilgrim Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of William Carleton, Volume Three
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old English (thȳ) lǣs the, (whereby) less that, so that not : lǣs, less; see less + the, relative conjunction; see to- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Early modern English also least; from Middle English leste, les the, from Anglo-Saxon thy¯ lǣs the, the less that: thy¯, instrumental of thæt, the, that; lǣs, adverb, less; the, conjunction, that: see the, less, that.
 

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/lɛst/
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