Lest Meaning and Definition
Lest
Pronunciation
/lest/
Part of Speech
Auxiliary Verb
Definition
A verb used to indicate a hypothetical or conditional situation, often in phrases such as ‘lest we forget’ or ‘lest you should know’.
Examples
- The teacher warned the students lest they forget to turn in their assignments.
- The parent advised her child lest he should make the same mistake again.
Synonyms
- In case
- Unless
Antonyms
- Assuming
- Supposing
Etymology
The word ‘lest’ comes from Old English ‘lΔst’, which was ultimately derived from Proto-Germanic ‘liziz’, meaning ‘lest’ or ‘unless’.
Usage Notes
This word is often used in formal or literary contexts, and is particularly useful for conveying a sense of hypothetical or conditional possibility.
Cultural References
Lest appears in many cultural references, including literature, film, and music. For example, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the character Horatio uses the phrase ‘lest we forget’ to remind the court of the importance of remembering the past.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
- Lest we forget
- Lest you should know
Related Words or Phrases
- Unless
- In case
- Provided that
Collocations
- Lest you do
- Lest we say
Frequency of Use
Lest is a relatively rare word in modern language, but it is still used regularly in formal and literary contexts.
Common Misspellings
- Loss
- Least
- Lesst