Elamur Dictionary⌕

☰

dictionaries / English / L / lest

lest

conjunction

«lest» in the English dictionary: Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

Early Modern English

Meaning

In case; to avoid the risk that something will happen. tree →

Then and now

Today we rarely use "lest"; we say "in case" or "so that … not". The sentences use the same sense, but the word is old.

Examples

lest when thou hast eaten and art satisfied, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; (Torah DEU.8.12, JPS 1917) tree →
Hasten, lest you should be too late!' (The Orange Fairy Book) tree →
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said: 'Lest peradventure harm befall him.' (Torah GEN.42.4, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Today: so that … not; in case.

On Mova

Trees and pragmatics of «lest» in the Early Modern English dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«lest» in the Early Modern English dictionary on Mova free.

This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/lest/