lieu

American  

[loo] / lu /

noun

1. place; stead.

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idioms

1. in lieu of, in place of; instead of.

   He gave us an IOU in lieu of cash.

lieu British  

/ ljuː, luː /

noun

1. stead; place (esp in the phrases in lieu, in lieu of )

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lieu More Idioms  

1. see under instead of.

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Etymology

Origin of lieu

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Middle French, from Latin locus “place”; replacing Middle English liue, from Old French liu, from Latin; locus

Example Sentences

Colleagues say D’Amaro has tried to increase profits by charging more on the busiest days and for shorter “lightning lanes,” in lieu of across-the-board price hikes.

From The Wall Street Journal

On Friday, in lieu of homeroom, nearly twenty of us sixth graders gather in the library to admire the artwork that’s been submitted for the Anywhere in the Worlds contest.

From Literature

The Line Hotels, a boutique chain, uses a mix of partial partitions, pocket doors and glass in lieu of traditional bathroom doors.

From The Wall Street Journal

“If consumers’ preference for downloading video game content in lieu of physical software continues to increase, our business and financial performance may be adversely impacted.”

From Los Angeles Times

Should demand ramp up in lieu of supply, “home prices will spike up again—and that creates new affordability challenges,” he added.

From Barron's