Lest Meaning in English
word
/ˈɫɛst/
lest
/lˈɛst/
lest
Definition
Used in formal or literary English to show you are doing something to prevent something bad from happening; it means 'for fear that' or 'in case.'
Usage & Nuances
Very formal and mostly used in written, literary, or old-fashioned English. Followed by a verb in the subjunctive (bare form): 'lest he forget.' Not common in everyday conversation; use 'in case' or 'so that' in spoken English.
Spanish: no sea que - para que noPortuguese (BR): para que não - não vá quePortuguese (PT): para que não - não vá queChinese (Simplified): 以免 - 免得Chinese (Traditional): 以免 - 免得Hindi: कहीं ऐसा न हो किArabic: لئلا - خشية أنBengali: পাছে - যদি এমন হয়Russian: чтобы не - дабы неJapanese: 〜しないように - 〜することのないようにVietnamese: kẻo - đề phòngKorean: ~할까 봐Turkish: -mesin diye - korkusuylaUrdu: کہیں ایسا نہ ہو کہIndonesian: jangan sampai - agar tidak
Example Sentences
Take your umbrella, lest it rain.
basic
He spoke quietly, lest anyone hear.
basic
I remind myself, lest I forget.
basic
She whispered the answer, lest the teacher notice.
natural
Keep the door shut, lest the dog run out.
natural
She set an early alarm, lest she oversleep again.
natural