lime

¹ American  

[lahym] / laɪm /

noun

1. the European linden, Tilia europaea.

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lime ² American  

[lahym] / laɪm /

noun

Informal.

1. a shortened form of limelight.

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lime ³ American  

[lahym] / laɪm /

noun

1. Also called caustic lime,.  Also called calcium oxide.  Also called calx, quicklime.  Also called burnt lime;.  a white or grayish-white, odorless, lumpy, very slightly water-soluble solid, CaO, that when combined with water forms calcium hydroxide slaked lime, obtained from calcium carbonate, limestone, or oyster shells: used chiefly in mortars, plasters, and cements, in bleaching powder, and in the manufacture of steel, paper, glass, and various chemicals of calcium.

2. a calcium compound for improving crops grown in soils deficient in lime.

3. birdlime.

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verb (used with object)

limed, liming

1. to treat (soil) with lime or compounds of calcium.

2. to smear (twigs, branches, etc.) with birdlime.

3. to catch with or as if with birdlime.

4. to paint or cover (a surface) with a composition of lime and water; whitewash.

   The government buildings were freshly limed.

lime ⁴ American  

[lahym] / laɪm /

noun

1. the small, greenish-yellow, acid fruit of a citrus tree, Citrus aurantifolia, allied to the lemon.

2. the tree that bears this fruit.

3. greenish yellow.

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adjective

1. of the color lime.

2. of or made with limes.

lime ¹ British  

/ laɪm /

noun

1. short for quicklime birdlime slaked lime

2. agriculture any of certain calcium compounds, esp calcium hydroxide, spread as a dressing on lime-deficient land

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verb

1. to spread (twigs, etc) with birdlime

2. to spread a calcium compound upon (land) to improve plant growth

3. to catch (animals, esp birds) with or as if with birdlime

4. to whitewash or cover (a wall, ceiling, etc) with a mixture of lime and water ( limewash )

lime ² British  

/ laɪm /

noun

1. any linden tree, such as Tilia europaea, planted in many varieties for ornament

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lime ³ British  

/ laɪm /

noun

1. a small Asian citrus tree, Citrus aurantifolia, with stiff sharp spines and small round or oval greenish fruits

2. 1. the fruit of this tree, having acid fleshy pulp rich in vitamin C

   2. ( as modifier )

      lime juice

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adjective

1. having the flavour of lime fruit

lime ⁴ British  

/ laɪm /

verb

1. slang (intr) (of young people) to sit or stand around on the pavement

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lime Scientific  

/ līm /

1. A white, lumpy, caustic powder made of calcium oxide sometimes mixed with other chemicals. It is made industrially by heating limestone, bones, or shells. Lime is used as an industrial alkali, in waste treatment, and in making glass, paper, steel, insecticides, and building plaster. It is also added to soil to lower its acidity.

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Other Word Forms

• limeless adjective
• limelike adjective
• unlimed adjective

Etymology

Origin of lime¹

First recorded in 1615–25; unexplained variant of obsolete line, lind, Middle English, Old English lind; linden

Origin of lime¹

Shortened form

Origin of lime¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English līm; cognate with Dutch lijm, German Leim, Old Norse līm “glue,” Latin līmus “slime”; akin to loam

Origin of lime¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Spanish lima, from Arabic līmah, līm “citrus fruit,” from Persian līmū(n); lemon

Example Sentences

To make its mocktail rendition, Caporale suggests making a simple limeade by muddling mint leaves with fresh lime juice and adding sugar along with soda water.

From Salon

A spritz of lemon or lime and a sprinkle of salt is often enough — startlingly so — to make them feel alive rather than virtuous.

From Salon

His first bowl is always with a squeeze of lime and chopped white onions.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the start of his finance career, DeAndre Brown, 26, met a mentor during happy hour who taught him the trick of ordering a tonic with lime.

From The Wall Street Journal

Flight attendants squeezed lime juice on Biscoff to create Key lime pie flavor, and passengers tried their luck scoring extra packages to bring home.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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• enrich
• germinate
• impregnate
• inseminate
• mulch
• pollinate
• propagate