lees

UK: /liːz/ US: /liz/ ,(lēz)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

lees /liz/   n. [plural]

1. Wine the grounds or sediment that collects at the bottom of a bottle of wine, beer, etc.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

lees  (lēz), n. 

1. Wine pl. of lee ².

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lees / liːz/ noun:plural

1. the sediment from an alcoholic drink

Etymology: 14th Century: plural of obsolete lee, from Old French, probably from Celtic; compare Irish lige bed

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

lee¹ /li/   n. [countable* usually singular;
often: the + ~]

1. protective shelter:
   the lee of a rock in a storm.
2. the side or part that is sheltered or turned away from the wind:
   the huts that were erected under the lee of the mountain.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms [Chiefly Nautical.] the quarter or region toward which the wind blows.

adj. 

4. of, on, or moving toward the lee.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

lee¹  (lē), n. 

1. protective shelter:
   The lee of the rock gave us some protection against the storm.
2. the side or part that is sheltered or turned away from the wind:
   We erected our huts under the lee of the mountain.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms [Chiefly Naut.] the quarter or region toward which the wind blows.
4. Nautical, Naval Terms by the lee, accidentally against what should be the lee side of a sail:
   Careless steering brought the wind by the lee.
5. Nautical, Naval Terms under the lee, to leeward.

adj. 

6. pertaining to, situated in, or moving toward the lee.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English hlēo(w) shelter, cognate with Old Frisian hli, hly, Old Saxon hleo, Old Norse hlé

lee²  (lē), n. 

1. Wine Usually, lees. the insoluble matter that settles from a liquid, esp. from wine;
   sediment;
   dregs.

• Gaulish *lig(j)a; compare Old Irish lige bed, akin to Old English gelege bed. See lie²
• Medieval Latin lia, probably
• Middle French
• Middle English lie 1350–1400

Lee  (lē), n. 

1. Biographical Ann, 1736–84, British mystic: founder of Shaker sect in U.S.
2. Biographical Charles, 1731–82, American Revolutionary general, born in England.
Doris Em•rick  (em′rik), born 1905, U.S. painter. Fitz•hugh  (fits′hyo̅o̅′ or, often, -yo̅o̅′; fits hyo̅o̅′ or, often, -yo̅o̅′), 1835–1905, U.S. general and statesman (grandson of Henry Lee;
nephew of Robert E. Lee). Francis Light•foot  (līt′fŏŏt′), 1734–97, American Revolutionary statesman (brother of Richard H. Lee).
3. Biographical Gypsy Rose (Rose Louise Hovick), 1914–70, U.S. entertainer.
4. Biographical Harper, born 1926, U.S. novelist.
5. Biographical Henry ("Light-Horse Harry''), 1756–1818, American Revolutionary general (father of Robert E. Lee).
Kuan Yew  (kwän yo̅o̅), born 1923, Singapore political leader: prime minister 1959–90. Man•fred Bennington  (man′frid), ("Ellery Queen''), 1905–71, U.S. mystery writer, in collaboration with Frederic Dannay.
6. Biographical Richard Henry, 1732–94, American Revolutionary statesman (brother of Francis L. Lee).
7. Biographical Robert E(dward), 1807–70, U.S. soldier and educator: Confederate general in the American Civil War (son of Henry Lee).
8. Biographical Sir Sidney, 1859–1926, English biographer and critic.
Tsung-Dao  (dzŏŏng′dou′), born 1926, Chinese physicist in the U.S.: Nobel prize 1957.
9. Place Names a town in W Massachusetts: resort. 6247.
10. a male or female given name.