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. 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

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

adjective

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

   on a lee shore

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

In the winter of 1987, Lee and her family settled in Toronto.

From Quartz

This means one of the group’s other functions has become helping newcomers effectively lead a protest if they don’t know how, Lee said.

From Voice of San Diego

By around 900, Mongolian women fought in wars and held political power, Lee says.

From Science News For Students

So Lee has helped develop a new type of microneedle — one that can barely be felt.

From Science News For Students

So make a pact with your friends to put your screens away during certain times of the day, Lee suggests.

From Science News For Students

Lee and Coogan did briefly meet with the pope, with pictures to prove it, but no one at the Vatican officially screened the film.

From The Daily Beast

Twelve-year-old dance prodigy Maddie Ziegler has suffered the wrath of Dance Moms tyrant Abby Lee Miller.

From The Daily Beast

What stuck in my mind were the two supporting actors, Gloria Grahame and Lee Marvin.

From The Daily Beast

In my opinion Lee was one of the greatest actors of all time.

From The Daily Beast

Little did I know that Lee had actually been born into a wealthy family.

From The Daily Beast

It was seen just in time to put the helm a-lee, or we should have run upon it.

From Project Gutenberg

Lee's army is sweeping victoriously through Maryland; Harper's Ferry taken with ten thousand prisoners.

From Project Gutenberg

Afterward, when the news came that Lee had succeeded in getting his army safely across the Potomac, Mr. Middleton's hopes revived.

From Project Gutenberg

Consequently, the official voting was postponed for three weeks, but Lee's resolution was adopted by the Congress on July 2, 1776.

From Project Gutenberg

Lee realized the wonderful honor for which he had been selected and was deeply appreciative.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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