lest

[ lest ]

conjunction

1. for fear that; so that (one) should not (used negatively to introduce a clause expressive of an action or occurrence requiring caution):

   He kept his notes by his side lest faulty memory lead him astray.

2. that (used after words expressing fear, danger, etc.):

   There was danger lest the plan become known.

lest

/ lɛst /

conjunction

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of lest¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English leste, contraction of the lesse the, thi les the; late Old English the lǣste, earlier thȳ lǣs the, literally, “whereby less that” ( thȳ instrumental case of the demonstrative and relative pronoun, lǣs less, the conjunction)

Word History and Origins

Origin of lest¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lest we forget. lest we forget.

Example Sentences

Lest there be any doubt this is about anything but using schools to proselytize, the school board meeting was crushed with evangelicals praying for this opportunity to push their faith on the captive audience of school children.

From Salon

He laments how his success may have complicated his friendships in Black Hippy, and lest anyone think the Dave Free allegations on Drake’s “Family Matters” rattled Kendrick, he flips some phrasing here to show just how far they go back — “My n— Dave had a Champagne Acura / A bunch of instrumentals I freestyled in the passenger ... For this little thing of ours we called TDE.”

From Los Angeles Times

He writes that the series’ producers dissuaded him from pursuing ancillary Urkel opportunities lest he become “overexposed.”

From Los Angeles Times

Lest you require a reminder, most modern scientific experiments are constructed using the scientific method.

From Slate

Doing so is a pragmatic as well as a moral necessity lest the voters’ patience and generosity run out.

From Los Angeles Times