lee

¹

[ lee ]

noun

1. protective shelter:

   The lee of the rock gave us some protection against the storm.

2. the side or part that is sheltered or turned away from the wind:

   We erected our huts under the lee of the mountain.

3. Chiefly Nautical. the quarter or region toward which the wind blows.

adjective

1. pertaining to, situated in, or moving toward the lee.

Lee

²

[ lee ]

noun

1. Ann, 1736–84, British mystic: founder of Shaker sect in the United States.
2. Charles, 1731–82, American Revolutionary general, born in England.
3. Doris Em·rick [em, -rik], 1905–1986, U.S. painter.
4. Fitz·hugh [fits, -hyoo, -yoo, fits-, hyoo, -, yoo], 1835–1905, U.S. general and statesman (grandson of Henry Lee; nephew of Robert E. Lee).
5. Francis Light·foot [lahyt, -f, oo, t], 1734–97, American Revolutionary statesman (brother of Richard H. Lee).
6. Gypsy Rose Rose Louise Hovick, 1914–70, U.S. entertainer.
7. Harper, 1926–2016, U.S. novelist.
8. Henry Light-Horse Harry, 1756–1818, American Revolutionary general (father of Robert E. Lee).
9. Kuan Yew [kwahn yoo], 1923–2015, Singapore political leader: prime minister 1959–90.
10. Man·fred Bennington [man, -frid], Ellery Queen, 1905–71, U.S. mystery writer, in collaboration with Frederic Dannay.
11. Richard Henry, 1732–94, American Revolutionary statesman (brother of Francis L. Lee).
12. Robert E(dward), 1807–70, U.S. soldier and educator: Confederate general in the American Civil War (son of Henry Lee).
13. Sir Sidney, 1859–1926, English biographer and critic.
14. Spike Shelton Jackson Lee, born 1957, U.S. film director, screenwriter, and actor.
15. Tsung-Dao [dzoong, -, dou], born 1926, Chinese physicist in the United States: Nobel Prize 1957.
16. a town in western Massachusetts: part of the Berkshire resort area.
17. a male or female given name.

lee

¹

/ liː /

noun

1. a sheltered part or side; the side away from the direction from which the wind is blowing
2. by the lee
   nautical so that the wind is blowing on the wrong side of the sail
3. under the lee
   nautical towards the lee

adjective

1. prenominal nautical on, at, or towards the side or part away from the wind Compare weather

   on a lee shore

Lee

²

/ liː /

noun

1. a river in SW Republic of Ireland, flowing east into Cork Harbour. Length: about 80 km (50 miles)

Lee

³

/ liː /

noun

1. LeeAng1954MTaiwaneseFILMS AND TV: director Ang (æŋ). born 1954, Taiwanese film director; his films include Sense and Sensibility (1995), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Brokeback Mountain (2005), and Life of Pi (2012)
2. LeeBruce19401973MUSFILMS AND TV: actorSPORT AND GAMES: kung fu expert Bruce, original name Lee Yuen Kam . 1940–73, US film actor and kung fu expert who starred in such films as Enter the Dragon (1973)
3. LeeGypsy Rose19141970FUSARTS AND CRAFTS: artisteARTS AND CRAFTS: artiste Gypsy Rose, original name Rose Louise Hovick . 1914–70, US striptease and burlesque artiste, who appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies (1936) and in films
4. LeeLaurie19141997MBritishWRITING: poetWRITING: writer Laurie (ˈlɒrɪ). 1914–97, British poet and writer, best known for the autobiographical Cider with Rosie (1959)
5. LeeRichard Henry17321794MUSPOLITICS: statesmanPOLITICS: revolutionary Richard Henry. 1732–94, American Revolutionary statesman, who moved the resolution in favour of American independence (1776)
6. LeeRobert E(dward)18071870MUSMILITARY: generalMILITARY: military commander Robert E ( dward ). 1807–70, American general; commander-in-chief of the Confederate armies in the Civil War
7. LeeSpike1957MUSFILMS AND TV: director Spike, real name Shelton Jackson Lee. born 1957, US film director: his films include She's Gotta Have It (1985), Malcolm X (1992), and the documentary When the Leeves Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2008)
8. LeeT(sung)-D(ao)1926MUSChineseSCIENCE: physicist T ( sung ) -D ( ao ) (tsuːŋ daʊ). born 1926, US physicist, born in China. With Yang he disproved the principle that that parity is always conserved and shared the Nobel prize for physics in 1957

Word History and Origins

Origin of lee¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hlēo(w) “shelter covering, protection,” cognate with Old Frisian hli, hly, Old Saxon hleo, Old Norse hlé

Word History and Origins

Origin of lee¹

Old English hlēow shelter; related to Old Norse hle

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. by the lee, Nautical. accidentally against what should be the lee side of a sail:

   Careless steering brought the wind by the lee.

2. under the lee, Nautical. to leeward.

Example Sentences

Last week, Trump announced Lee Zeldin, a former congressional representative from New York, as his pick to lead the agency.

From Science Magazine

Writer-director Hwang Dong-hyuk and star Lee Jung-jae reveal that the main character’s next journey will be less about survival and more about justice.

From Los Angeles Times

The music team for Lee Isaac Chung’s “Twisters” told the seven-time CMA honoree and recent Grammy nominee it was considering going with modern country songs for the entire soundtrack.

From Los Angeles Times

Here’s how ‘Minari’ director Lee Isaac Chung made the action scene of the summer in the new tornado blockbuster ‘Twisters,’ starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones.

From Los Angeles Times

Has Lee Carsley made it easier by using so many players?

From BBC

Related Words

• border
• bottom
• face
• front
• hand
• part
• rear
• sector
• surface
• top
• view