lake

¹

[ leyk ]

noun

1. a body of fresh or salt water of considerable size, surrounded by land.
2. any similar body or pool of other liquid, as oil.

lake

²

[ leyk ]

noun

1. any of various pigments prepared from animal, vegetable, or coal-tar coloring matters by chemical or other union with metallic compounds.
2. a red pigment prepared from lac or cochineal by combination with a metallic compound.

Lake

³

[ leyk ]

noun

1. Simon, 1866–1945, U.S. engineer and naval architect.

lake

¹

/ leɪk /

noun

1. an expanse of water entirely surrounded by land and unconnected to the sea except by rivers or streams lacustrine
2. anything resembling this
3. a surplus of a liquid commodity

   a wine lake

lake

²

/ leɪk /

noun

1. a bright pigment used in textile dyeing and printing inks, produced by the combination of an organic colouring matter with an inorganic compound, usually a metallic salt, oxide, or hydroxide See also mordant
2. a red dye obtained by combining a metallic compound with cochineal

lake

/ lāk /

1. A large inland body of standing fresh or salt water. Lakes generally form in depressions, such as those created by glacial or volcanic action; they may also form when a section of a river becomes dammed or when a channel is isolated by a change in a river's course.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lake¹

before 1000; Middle English lak ( e ), lac ( e ), apparently a conflation of Old French lac, its source, Latin lacus (compare Greek lákkos, Old Irish loch, Old English, Old Saxon lagu sea, water) and Old English lacu stream, water course (compare leccan to moisten, modern dial. lake stream, channel; leach ¹ )

Origin of lake²

First recorded in 1610–20; variant of lac ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lake¹

C13: lac, via Old French from Latin lacus basin

Origin of lake²

C17: variant of lac ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. (go) jump in the lake, (used as an exclamation of dismissal or impatience.)

Example Sentences

Air traffic control systems handling the flight were confused by a duplicate code - DVL - representing both Deauville in France and Devil's Lake in North Dakota, USA.

From BBC

Some would visit Tanton, joining him on long walks in the wooded hills above the Lake Michigan shoreline and talking for hours.

From Salon

“Orbital” bested five other short-listed titles: “Held” by Anne Michaels, “Creation Lake” by Rachel Kushner, “James” by Percival Everett, “The Safekeep” by Yael van der Wouden and “Stone Yard Devotional” by Charlotte Wood.

From Los Angeles Times

A white-haired lady wanders Richard Neutra’s landmark midcentury house in Silver Lake at night, when she suddenly encounters a mountain lion calmly purring — and a grand piano in the room begins to play, on its own, Philip Glass’ “Mad Rush.”

From Los Angeles Times

Some victims believed he had property abroad, fancy cars, a log cabin in the Lake District or a caravan near Blackpool.

From BBC

Related Words

• basin
• lagoon
• pond
• pool
• reservoir