lee

plural lees

1. nauticalA protected cove or harbor, out of the wind.
2. nauticalThe side of the ship away from the wind.
3. A sheltered place, especially a place protected from the wind by some object; the side sheltered from the wind (see also leeside); shelter; protection.

   the lee of a mountain, an island, or a ship

   3 more examples

   We lurked under lee.

   1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], (please specify the book number), [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC

   Desiring me to take shelter in his lee.

   1873, John Tyndall, “Niagara”, in Fragments of Science, published 1907, page 182

   He turned into Cumberland street and, going on some paces, halted in the lee of the station wall. No-one.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 5]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC

4. Calm, peace.

1. not comparablegeographyFacing away from the flow of a fluid, usually air.

   lee side, lee shore, lee helm

   Antonyms: stoss

1. obsoleteuncountableLees; dregs.

   A thousand demons lurk within the lee.

   1745, [Edward Young], “Night the Eighth. Virtue’s Apology: Or The Man of the World Answered. In which are Considered, the Love of This Life; the Ambition and Pleasure, with the Wit and Wisdom, of the World.”, in The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality, London: […] [Samuel Richardson] for A[ndrew] Millar […], and R[obert] Dodsley […], published 1750, →OCLC, page 264

plural lees

1. obsoleteObsolete form of li (“traditional Chinese unit of distance”).

   Here, after little less than a month's protracted journey over a distance, by the Chinese itinerary, of 950 lees, and by our own calculation 280 miles, from the canal, we quitted the magnificent Keang to cross the lake […]

   1865, John Francis Davis, Chinese Miscellanies: A Collection of Essays and Notes, page 184

plural Lees · alternative Lea · alternative Leigh

1. countableuncountableAn English topographic surname from Middle English.

   Finally, there’s a Stan Lee fly, in honor of the late Marvel Comics visionary.

   2020 July 29, Jessie Yeung, “Australia names new species after Deadpool, Thor, and other Marvel favorites”, in CNN

2. A unisex given name.
   1. countableuncountableA male given name.

      She was joined at the New York City fete by fellow Trump throne-sniffer Lee Zeldin […]

      2021 September 24, Tom Gogola, “Republican Representative Lauren Boebert Goes Full Blunderbuss”, in The Nation, archived from the original on 01 Jun 2022, retrieved 01 Jun 2022

      1 more example

      There was certainly an excess of young men in prison with non-traditional names such as Lee or Dwayne. Indeed, there were so many of the former that I once mooted that all Lees should be arrested at birth and kept in preventative detention.

      2017, Theodore Dalrymple, The Knife Went In

   2. countableuncountableA female given name.

      “Nora?” She frowned, puzzled. “My name's Leonora,” I said. “At school I was Lee, but now I prefer Nora. I did mention it in the e-mail.” I'd always hated being Lee. It was a boy's name, a name that lent itself to teasing and rhyme.

      2016, Ruth Ware, In a Dark, Dark Wood, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 21

3. A placename, for example:
   1. countableuncountableA hamlet in Berrynarbor parish, North Devon district, Devon (OS grid ref SS5546).
   2. countableuncountableA small village in Ilfracombe parish, North Devon district, Devon (OS grid ref SS4846).
   3. countableuncountableA suburb in the borough of Lewisham, Greater London (OS grid ref TQ3974).
   4. countableuncountableA hamlet in Romsey parish, Test Valley district, Hampshire, previously in Romsey Extra parish (OS grid ref SU3617).
   5. countableuncountableA hamlet in Hexhamshire parish, Northumberland (OS grid ref NY9459).
   6. countableuncountableA hamlet in Ellesmere Rural parish, Shropshire (OS grid ref SJ4032).
   7. countableuncountableA village in Buckinghamshire, commonly known as The Lee.
   8. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative spelling of Lea, the River Lea in eastern England.
   9. countableuncountableA small settlement on the Ross of Mull, isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NM4021).
   10. countableuncountableA river in County Cork, Ireland, that passes through the city of Cork to Cork Harbour.

       The River Lee is an important feature of the City of Cork, and on the other side of it is the Albert Quay terminus of the former Cork, Bandon & South Coast Railway.

       1955 May, Rev. A. W. V. Mace, “An Irish Journey—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 301

   11. countableuncountableA former settlement in Inyo County, California.
   12. countableuncountableA town in Madison County, Florida.
   13. countableuncountableA village in DeKalb County and Lee County, Illinois.
   14. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Monon Township, White County, Indiana.
   15. countableuncountableA town in Penobscot County, Maine.
   16. countableuncountableA town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
   17. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Elko County, Nevada.
   18. countableuncountableA town in Strafford County, New Hampshire.
   19. countableuncountableA town and village in Oneida County, New York.
   20. countableuncountableA number of townships in the United States, listed under Lee Township.

1. A river in County Cork, Ireland.

plural Lees · alternative Li · alternative Le · alternative Ly

1. A surname from Chinese.

   Robert Lee was scheduled to cover a University of Virginia game in the city for the broadcaster on 2 September.

   2017 August 23, “ESPN reassigns commentator Robert Lee over 'name coincidence'”, in BBC

   1. A surname from Cantonese.
   2. A surname from Hokkien.
   3. A surname from Teochew.
   4. A surname from Mandarin.
   5. A surname from Hakka.

plural Lees · alternative Rhee · alternative Ree

1. A surname from Korean; alternative form of Rhee.

plural Lees

1. A male given name.
   1. A nickname for various given names with the first syllable as Lee; Clipping of Leo, Leroy.