lee

B2 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /liː/ UK /liː/ See IPA manual

Homophones

Freq #1324

Meanings

1

noun
the sheltered side of something, away from the wind

The fishing boat waited in the lee of the island until the storm weakened.
2

adj
situated on or toward the side sheltered from the wind

They chose the lee shore for a calmer landing.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the sheltered side of... shelterleeward side

2 adj · situated on or toward the... leewarddownwind

Opposites

windward weather

Word family

Derived forms aleeleewardleeway

Related forms windward shelter

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

lee side
the side sheltered from the wind

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English lee, from Old English hlēo or hlēow, meaning 'shelter' or 'protection.' Its nautical use developed from the idea of the side protected from the wind.

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

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