leman

¹ American  

[lem-uhn, lee-muhn] / ˈlɛm ən, ˈli mən /

noun

Archaic.

1. a sweetheart; lover; beloved.

2. a mistress.

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Leman ² American  

[lee-muhn] / ˈli mən /

noun

1. Lake. Lake of Geneva.

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leman ¹ British  

/ ˈliː-, ˈlɛmən /

noun

1. a beloved; sweetheart

2. a lover or mistress

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Léman ² British  

/ lemɑ̃ /

noun

1. the French name for (Lake) Geneva

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Etymology

Origin of leman

1175–1225; Middle English lemman, earlier leofman. See lief, man

Example Sentences

"Ga lufe, Makyne, quhair evir thou list,55 For leman I lue none."

From English and Scottish Ballads, Volume IV by Various

Warn not my love, till o'er the mead The morning sun has broke: Too short, alas! the time, since here I tarried with my leman dear, In love and converse sweet.'

From Women of the Teutonic Nations Woman: In all ages and in all countries Vol. 8 (of 10) by Schoenfeld, Hermann

And yf he dwelleden þer outh— Þat fel hauelok ful wel on þouth— Men sholde don his leman shame, 1192 Or elles bringen in wicke blame.

From The Lay of Havelok the Dane by Unknown

Gae back, gae back, ye fause ill wife, To the grave wherein ye lie, It never was seen that a dead leman Kept lover's company!

From Old Friends, Epistolary Parody by Lang, Andrew

Me dreamed al this night, pardie, An elf-queen shall my leman be ...

From Foes by Johnston, Mary