list

¹

[ list ]

noun

1. a series of names or other items written or printed together in a meaningful grouping or sequence so as to constitute a record:

   a list of members.

   Synonyms: register

2. list price.
3. Computers. a series of records in a file.
4. a complete record of stocks handled by a stock exchange.
5. all of the books of a publisher that are available for sale.
6. Digital Technology. listserv:

   Please unsubscribe me from the list.

verb (used with object)

1. to set down together in a list; make a list of:

   to list the membership of a club.

   Synonyms: catalog, record

2. to enter in a list, directory, catalog, etc.:

   to list him among the members.

   Synonyms: enroll

3. to place on a list of persons to be watched, excluded, restricted, etc.
4. Computers. to print or display in a list:

   Let's list the whole program and see where the bug is.

5. to register (a security) on a stock exchange so that it may be traded there.
6. Archaic. to enlist.

verb (used without object)

1. to be offered for sale, as in a catalog, at a specified price:

   This radio lists at $49.95.

2. Archaic. enlist.

list

²

[ list ]

noun

1. a border or bordering strip, usually of cloth.
2. a selvage.
3. selvages collectively.
4. a strip of cloth or other material.
5. a strip or band of any kind.
6. a stripe of color.
7. a division of the hair or beard.
8. one of the ridges or furrows of earth made by a lister.
9. a strip of material, as bark or sapwood, to be trimmed from a board.
10. fillet ( def 6a ).

adjective

1. made of selvages or strips of cloth.

verb (used with object)

1. to produce furrows and ridges on (land) with a lister.
2. to prepare (ground) for planting by making ridges and furrows.
3. to cut away a narrow strip of wood from the edge of (a stave, plank, etc.).
4. Obsolete. to apply a border or edge to.

list

³

[ list ]

noun

1. a careening, or leaning to one side, as of a ship.

verb (used without object)

1. (of a ship or boat) to incline to one side; careen:

   The ship listed to starboard.

   Synonyms: heel, slant, tilt

verb (used with object)

1. to cause (a vessel) to incline to one side:

   The shifting of the cargo listed the ship to starboard.

   Synonyms: heel, slant, tilt

list

⁴

[ list ]

verb (used with object)

1. to please.
2. to like or desire.

verb (used without object)

1. to like; wish; choose.

list

⁵

[ list ]

verb (used without object)

1. to listen.

verb (used with object)

1. to listen to.

List

⁶

[ list ]

noun

1. Frie·drich [free, -drik], 1789–1846, U.S. political economist and journalist, born in Germany.

list

¹

/ lɪst /

verb

1. to be pleasing to (a person)
2. tr to desire or choose

noun

1. a liking or desire

list

²

/ lɪst /

verb

1. an archaic or poetic word for listen

list

³

/ lɪst /

verb

1. (esp of ships) to lean over or cause to lean over to one side

noun

1. the act or an instance of leaning to one side

list

⁴

/ lɪst /

noun

1. a border or edging strip, esp of cloth
2. a less common word for selvage
3. a strip of bark, sapwood, etc, trimmed from a board or plank
4. another word for fillet
5. a strip, band, ridge or furrow
6. agriculture a ridge in ploughed land formed by throwing two furrows together

verb

1. to border with or as if with a list or lists
2. agriculture to plough (land) so as to form lists
3. to cut a list from (a board, plank, etc)

list

⁵

/ lɪst /

noun

1. an item-by-item record of names or things, usually written or printed one under the other
2. computing a linearly ordered data structure
3. be on the danger list
   to be in a critical medical or physical condition

verb

1. tr to make a list of
2. tr to include in a list
3. tr to declare to be a listed building
4. tr stock exchange to obtain an official quotation for (a security) so that it may be traded on the recognized market
5. an archaic word for enlist

Derived Forms

• ˈlistable, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of list¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; special use of list ² (in the sense “roll of names,” perhaps originally of contestants in the lists ); compare French liste, from Italian lista “roll of names,” earlier, “band, strip (e.g., of paper), border,” from Old High German līsta ( German Leiste )

Origin of list²

First recorded before 900; Middle English list(e), Old English līste “border”; cognate with Dutch lijst, German Leiste ( Old High German līsta )

Origin of list³

First recorded in 1620–30; origin uncertain

Origin of list⁴

First recorded before 900; Middle English listen, lusten, Old English (ge)lystan “to please”; cognate with German gelüsten, Old Norse lysta “to desire,” akin to Gothic lustōn “to desire,” Latin lascīvus “playful, frivolous, extravagant, wanton,” Greek lilaíesthai “to desire, long for,” Irish lainn “avid, greedy,” Czech láska “love, affection”; lust

Origin of list⁵

First recorded before 900; Middle English listen, Old English hlystan “to listen, listen to, hear,” derivative of hlyst “ear”; cognate with Swedish lysta; akin to Old Norse hlusta “to listen,” Old Church Slavonic slyšati, Lithuanian klausýti, Tocharian B klyauṣ-, all meaning “to hear”; listen

Word History and Origins

Origin of list¹

Old English lystan; related to Old High German lusten and Gothic lūston to desire

Origin of list²

Old English hlystan; related to Old Norse hlusta

Origin of list³

C17: origin unknown

Origin of list⁴

Old English līst; related to Old High German līsta

Origin of list⁵

C17: from French, ultimately related to list ²; compare Italian lista list of names (earlier: border, strip, as of paper), Old High German līsta border

Idioms and Phrases

see black list ; enter the lists ; sucker list .

Synonym Study

List, catalog, inventory, roll, schedule imply a definite arrangement of items. List denotes a series of names, items, or figures arranged in a row or rows: a list of groceries. Catalog adds the idea of alphabetical or other orderly arrangement, and, often, descriptive particulars and details: a library catalog. An inventory is a detailed descriptive list of property, stock, goods, or the like made for legal or business purposes: a store inventory. A roll is a list of names of members of some defined group often used to ascertain their presence or absence: a class roll. A schedule is a methodical (especially official) list, often indicating the time or sequence of certain events: a train schedule.

Example Sentences

With a much bigger budget and the weight of A24 behind him, though, Schimberg was given a list of established composers and was under some pressure to go with a “name.”

From Los Angeles Times

There are four areas of culture and arts that we want to hear from you about, all listed below.

From New York Times

We sent Paul a list of the allegations we wanted him to respond to, and his PR team requested we travel to the Caribbean island, so he could answer in person.

From BBC

Posing as a business wanting to import knives into Western Europe, the BBC asked the supplier for its latest product list, costs and a shipping estimate for 30,000 knives.

From BBC

Co-authors, disclosures and any additional funding sources are listed in the abstract.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• account
• agenda
• archive
• ballot
• bill
• calendar
• catalog
• checklist
• dictionary
• directory
• draft
• file
• index
• inventory
• lineup
• listing
• menu
• poll
• program
• schedule