lest

(lĕst)

conj.

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

2. So that someone or something not; in case someone or something might: "Lest anyone forget, adolescence is purgatory" (Jon Pareles).

[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.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

lest

(lɛst)

conj (subordinating; takes should or a subjunctive verb)

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.

[Old English the lǣste, earlier thӯ lǣs the, literally: whereby less that]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

lest

(lɛst)

conj.

1. for fear that; so that (one) should not: I used notes lest faulty memory should lead me astray.

2. that (used after words expressing fear, danger, etc.): We worried lest the plan become known.

[before 1000; Middle English leste, late Old English the lǣste, earlier thȳ lǣs the literally, whereby less that =thȳ (see the²) + lǣs less + the relative particle)]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

lest

conjunction in case, in order to avoid, for fear that, in order to prevent I was afraid to open the door lest he should follow me.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

لِئلا، خِشْيَةَ أن

že by snad

i tilfælde af

dass

μήπως

etteijottei

ef; aî

per paura che per non

ka nelai ne

for at

že by snáď

-ecek diye-masın diye

唯恐

lest

[lest] CONJ (frm or liter)

1. (= in order to prevent) → para que no + subjun
lest we forget → para que no nos olvidemos, no sea que nos olvidemos
lest he catch me unprepared → para que no me coja or (LAm) agarre desprevenido

2. (= in case) I feared lest he should fall → temía que fuera a caerse
I didn't do it lest somebody should object → no lo hice por miedo a que alguien pusiera peros

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

lest

[ˈlɛst] conj → de peur de + infin, de peur que + subj
lest he should follow me → de peur qu'il (ne) me suive

lest

conj (form)

(= for fear that) → aus Furcht, dass; (= in order that … not) → damit … nicht; (= in case) → für den Fall, dass; I didn’t do it lest somebody should object → ich habe es aus Furcht, dass jemand dagegen sein könnte, nicht getan; lest we forget → damit wir nicht vergessen

(after fear, be afraid etc) → dass; I was frightened lest he should fall → ich hatte Angst, dass er fallen könnte

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

lest

[lɛst] conj (old) (frm) → nel timore che + sub, per paura che + sub
lest we forget → per non dimenticare

lest

(lest) conjunction

in case. He was scared lest he should fail his exam.