list

UK: /ˈlɪst/ US: /lɪst/ ,(list)

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

list¹ /lɪst/   n. 

1. a series of items written or printed together in a grouping or sequence so as to make up a record:
   [countable] a shopping list.
2. Business [uncountable] list price.

v. 

3. to make a list of:
   [~ + object] He listed the items they would need.
4. to enter in a list, directory, catalog, etc.:
   [~ + object] to list him among the members.
5. Business to be offered for sale at a specified price:
   [no object] This radio lists at $49.95.

list³ /lɪst/   n. 

[countable]
1. Nautical, Naval Terms a leaning to one side, as of a ship:
   a heavy list to starboard.

v. [no object]

2. Nautical, Naval Terms to lean to one side:
   The boat listed to starboard.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

list¹  (list), n. 

1. a series of names or other items written or printed together in a meaningful grouping or sequence so as to constitute a record:
   a list of members.
2. Business See list price. 
3. Computing a series of records in a file.
4. Business a complete record of stocks handled by a stock exchange.
5. all of the books of a publisher that are available for sale.

v.t. 

6. to set down together in a list;
   make a list of:
   to list the membership of a club.
7. to enter in a list, directory, catalog, etc.:
   to list him among the members.
8. to place on a list of persons to be watched, excluded, restricted, etc.
9. Computing to print or display in a list:
   Let's list the whole program and see where the bug is.
10. Business to register (a security) on a stock exchange so that it may be traded there.
11. [Archaic.] enlist.

v.i. 

12. Business to be offered for sale, as in a catalog, at a specified price:
    This radio lists at $49.95.
13. [Archaic.] enlist.

• Old High German (German Leiste)
• Italian lista roll of names, earlier, band, strip (e.g., of paper), border
• 1595–1605; special use of list² (roll of names, perh. origin, originally of contestants in the lists); compare French liste

Synonyms

• 1. register.
  List, catalog, inventory, roll, schedule imply a definite arrangement of items.
  List denotes a series of names, items, or figures arranged in a row or rows:
  a list of groceries.
  Catalog adds the idea of alphabetical or other orderly arrangement, and, often, descriptive particulars and details:
  a library catalog.
  An inventory is a detailed descriptive list of property, stock, goods, or the like made for legal or business purposes:
  a store inventory.
  A roll is a list of names of members of some defined group often used to ascertain their presence or absence:
  a class roll.
  A schedule is a methodical (esp. official) list, often indicating the time or sequence of certain events:
  a train schedule.
• 6. record, catalog.
• 7. enroll.

list²  (list), n. 

1. Textiles a border or bordering strip, usually of cloth.
2. Textiles a selvage.
3. Textiles selvages collectively.
4. Textiles a strip of cloth or other material.
5. a strip or band of any kind.
6. a stripe of color.
7. a division of the hair or beard.
8. one of the ridges or furrows of earth made by a lister.
9. Building a strip of material, as bark or sapwood, to be trimmed from a board.
10. Architecture fillet (def. 6a).

adj. 

11. Textiles made of selvages or strips of cloth.

v.t. 

12. to produce furrows and ridges on (land) with a lister.
13. to prepare (ground) for planting by making ridges and furrows.
14. Building to cut away a narrow strip of wood from the edge of (a stave, plank, etc.).
15. [Obs.] to apply a border or edge to.

• bef. 900; Middle English lista, Old English līst border; cognate with Dutch lijst, German Leiste (Old High German līsta)

list³  (list), n. 

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a careening, or leaning to one side, as of a ship.

v.i. 

2. Nautical, Naval Terms (of a ship or boat) to incline to one side;
   careen:
   The ship listed to starboard.

v.t. 

3. Nautical, Naval Terms to cause (a vessel) to incline to one side:
   The shifting of the cargo listed the ship to starboard.

• origin, originally uncertain 1620–30

Synonyms

• 2, 3. tilt, slant, heel.

list⁴  (list), [Archaic.]
v.t. 

1. to please.
2. to like or desire.

v.i. 
3. to like;
   wish;
   choose.
• bef. 900; Middle English listen, lusten, Old English (ge)lystan to please; cognate with German gelüsten, Old Norse lysta to desire, akin to Gothic lustōn to desire. See lust

list⁵  (list), [Archaic.]
v.i. 

1. to listen.

v.t. 
2. to listen to.
• bef. 900; Middle English listen, Old English hlystan to listen, hear, derivative of hlyst ear; cognate with Swedish lysta; akin to Old Norse hlusta to listen. See listen

List  (list), n. 

Frie•drich  (frē′drik), 1789–1846, U.S. political economist and journalist, born in Germany.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

list / lɪst/ noun

1. an item-by-item record of names or things, usually written or printed one under the other
2. a linearly ordered data structure

verb

1. (transitive) to make a list of
2. (transitive) to include in a list
3. (transitive) to declare to be a listed building
4. (transitive) to obtain an official quotation for (a security) so that it may be traded on the recognized market
5. an archaic word for enlist

Etymology: 17th Century: from French, ultimately related to list²; compare Italian lista list of names (earlier: border, strip, as of paper), Old High German līsta border

ˈlistable adjective

list / lɪst/ verb

1. (esp of ships) to lean over or cause to lean over to one side

noun

1. the act or an instance of leaning to one side

Etymology: 17th Century: origin unknown

list / lɪst/ noun

1. a border or edging strip, esp of cloth
2. a less common word for selvage
3. another word for fillet8

verb (transitive)

1. to border with or as if with a list or lists

Etymology: Old English līst; related to Old High German līsta

list / lɪst/ verb

1. to be pleasing to (a person)
2. (transitive) to desire or choose

noun

1. a liking or desire

Etymology: Old English lystan; related to Old High German lusten and Gothic lūston to desire

list / lɪst/ verb

1. an archaic or poetic word for listen

Etymology: Old English hlystan; related to Old Norse hlusta