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

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

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

Titan's extremely cold surface is home to lakes and rivers of liquid methane and ethane.

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He often visits the lake to document these frenzied feeding moments.

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Mr Villate unfurls plans to show off the lakes, a childcare centre and other buildings which he says should be ready in under two years.

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A boat capsized on a lake in northeastern Ghana, killing 15 people, mostly children, maritime authorities said on Sunday.

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Dating to between 12,800 and 11,400 years ago, the engravings correspond to a time when temporary lakes and rivers reappeared after centuries of extreme aridity.

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Related Words

• basin 
• lagoon 
• pond 
• pool 
• reservoir