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lion
[ lahy-uhn ]
/ ˈlaɪ ən /
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noun
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Idioms about lion
beard the lion in its den, to confront or attack someone, especially a powerful or feared person, in that person's own familiar surroundings.
twist the lion's tail, to tax the patience of or provoke a person, group, nation, or government, especially that of Great Britain.
Origin of lion
before 900; Middle English <Old French, variant of leon<Latin leōn- (stem of leō) <Greek léōn; replacing Middle English, Old English lēo<Latin, as above
OTHER WORDS FROM lion
li·on·esque, adjectiveli·on·like, li·on·ly, adjectiveWords nearby lion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use lion in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for lion (1 of 2)
lion
/ (ˈlaɪən) /
noun
a large gregarious predatory feline mammal, Panthera leo, of open country in parts of Africa and India, having a tawny yellow coat and, in the male, a shaggy maneRelated adjective: leonine
a conventionalized lion, the principal beast used as an emblem in heraldry. It has become the national emblem of Great Britain
a courageous, strong, or bellicose person
a celebrity or idol who attracts much publicity and a large following
beard the lion in his den to approach a feared or influential person, esp in order to ask a favour
the lion's share the largest portion
Word Origin for lion
Old English līo, lēo (Middle English lioun, from Anglo-French liun), both from Latin leo, Greek leōn
British Dictionary definitions for lion (2 of 2)
Lion
/ (ˈlaɪən) /
noun
the Lion the constellation Leo, the fifth sign of the zodiac
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Other Idioms and Phrases with lion
lion
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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