lake

¹

[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

²

[leyk]

noun

1. Simon, 1866–1945, U.S. engineer and naval architect.

lake

³

[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

¹

/ 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

²

/ 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

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

First recorded in 1610–20; variant of lac ¹

Origin of lake²

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of lake¹

C17: variant of _lac ¹

Origin of lake²

C13: lac, via Old French from Latin lacus basin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. (go) jump in the lake, (used as an exclamation of dismissal or impatience.)

Example Sentences

A city school is launching a swimming project in memory of a teenager who died after getting into difficulty at a lake.

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Eventually, he realized that the biggest treasure was hidden in the lake itself.

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The EA monitors levels of bacteria at bathing water sites in rivers, lakes and the sea across England between May and September each year.

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Monica and Ross reveal that their mother banned them from the activity after their intense childhood competitiveness resulted in the Geller Cup being thrown into a lake.

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“This makes every sniff of holiday activity — foot traffic, discount depth, card authorizations — disproportionately important. In a data desert, even a puddle looks like a lake.”

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Related Words

• basin 
• lagoon 
• pond 
• pool 
• reservoir