lewis

¹

[ loo-is ]

noun

1. a device for lifting a dressed stone, consisting of a number of pieces fitting together to fill a dovetailed recess cut into the stone.

Lewis

²

[ loo-is ]

noun

1. Carl Frederick Carlton Lewis, born 1961, U.S. track and field athlete.
2. C(live) S(ta·ples) [klahyv, , stey, -p, uh, lz], 1898–1963, English novelist and essayist, known for The Chronicles of Narnia. Pen names: Clive Hamilton, N. W. Clerk.
3. Edward, 1918–2004, U.S. biologist: shared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1995.
4. Gilbert Newton, 1875–1946, U.S. chemist.
5. (Harry) Sinclair, 1885–1951, U.S. novelist, playwright, and journalist: Nobel Prize in Literature 1930.
6. Henry, 1932–96, U.S. orchestral conductor.
7. Isaac Newton, 1858–1931, U.S. soldier and inventor.
8. Jerry Lee, 1935–2022, U.S. country-and-western and rock-'n'-roll singer, musician, and composer.
9. John (Aaron), 1920–2001, U.S. jazz pianist, composer, and musical director.
10. John L(lewellyn), 1880–1969, U.S. labor leader.
11. Matthew Gregory Monk, 1775–1809, English novelist, dramatist, and poet, known for the genre of Gothic horror.
12. Mer·i·weth·er [mer, -i-we, th, -er], 1774–1809, U.S. explorer: leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition 1804–06.
13. (Per·cy) Wynd·ham [pur, -see , win, -d, uh, m], 1884–1957, English novelist, essayist, and painter who cofounded the movement of vorticism; born in Canada.
14. R(ichard) W(arrington) B(aldwin), 1917–2002, U.S. biographer, literary critic, and scholar.
15. a male given name.

lewis

¹

/ ˈluːɪs; ˈluːɪsən /

noun

1. a lifting device for heavy stone or concrete blocks consisting of a number of curved pieces of metal or wedges fitting into a dovetailed recess cut into the block

Lewis

²

/ ˈluːɪs /

noun

1. the N part of the island of Lewis with Harris, in the Outer Hebrides. Pop: about 17 000 (2001). Area: 1634 sq km (631 sq miles)

Lewis

³

/ ˈluːɪs /

noun

1. LewisCarl1961MUSSPORT AND GAMES: athlete Carl. full name Frederick Carleton Lewis . born 1961, US athlete; winner of the long jump, 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay at the 1984 Olympic Games; winner of the 100 metres in the 1988 Olympic Games; winner of the long jump in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games
2. See Day-Lewis
   See Day-Lewis
3. LewisC(live) S(taples)18981963MEnglishWRITING: novelistWRITING: criticRELIGION: writer C ( live ) S ( taples ). 1898–1963, English novelist, critic, and Christian apologist, noted for his critical work, Allegory of Love (1936), his theological study, The Screwtape Letters (1942), and for his children's books chronicling the land of Narnia
4. LewisLennox1965MBritishSPORT AND GAMES: boxer Lennox. born 1965, Canadian and British boxer; won Olympic gold (1988) for Canada in the superheavyweight division; won various professional heavyweight titles between 1994 and 2004
5. LewisMatthew Gregory17751818MEnglishWRITING: novelistTHEATRE: dramatist Matthew Gregory, known as Monk Lewis. 1775–1818, English novelist and dramatist, noted for his Gothic horror story The Monk (1796)
6. LewisMeriwether17741807MUSTRAVEL AND EXPLORATION: explorer Meriwether. 1774–1807, American explorer who, with William Clark, led an overland expedition from St Louis to the Pacific Ocean (1804–06)
7. Lewis(John) Saunders18931985MWelshWRITING: poetTHEATRE: dramatistWRITING: criticPOLITICS: politician ( John ) Saunders (ˈsɔːndəz). 1893–1985, Welsh poet, dramatist, critic, and politician: founder (1926) and president (1926–39) of the Welsh Nationalist Party
8. Lewis(Harry) Sinclair18851951MUSWRITING: novelist ( Harry ) Sinclair. 1885–1951, US novelist. He satirized the complacency and philistinism of American small-town life, esp in Main Street (1920) and Babbitt (1922): Nobel prize for literature 1930
9. LewisWally1959MAustralianSPORT AND GAMES: rugby league player Wally. born 1959, Australian rugby league player; played 33 matches for Australia (1981–91), scoring 11 tries
10. Lewis(Percy) Wyndham18841957MBritishUSARTS AND CRAFTS: painterWRITING: novelistWRITING: critic ( Percy ) Wyndham. 1884–1957, British painter, novelist, and critic, born in the US: a founder of vorticism. His writings include Time and Western Man (1927), The Apes of God (1930), and the trilogy The Human Age (1928–55)

Word History and Origins

Origin of lewis¹

First recorded in 1730–40; perhaps after the surname of the inventor

Word History and Origins

Origin of lewis¹

C18: perhaps from the name of the inventor

Example Sentences

Michael Lewis, who coined the term and penned the 2003 bestselling book of that name.

From The Daily Beast

In Vietnam, Lewis was advisor to a Vietnamese infantry unit, whose nickname for him was “Captain of Many Kilos.”

From The Daily Beast

“After the withdraw, they realized that firefighter Craig-Lewis was missing,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer.

From The Daily Beast

When they thought about Lewis, what struck the players most was that he never acted like a do-gooder.

From The Daily Beast

Craig-Lewis is survived by two children, a 16-year old son and a 16-month old daughter.

From The Daily Beast

Mr. King and Mr. Lewis walking together in Birmingham, a chimney sweeper and his boy passed them.

From Project Gutenberg

The other escaped, rushed back to the camp and reported to General Lewis that he had observed "four acres of ground" of Indians.

From Project Gutenberg

Malus Island is separated from Lewis Island by a strait a mile wide; it is probably deep.

From Project Gutenberg

On October 10, two of Lewis' men went hunting, strictly against his orders.

From Project Gutenberg

Lewis Gesner and Gus Hammerton, my tried friends, were in the office at the time.

From Project Gutenberg