lime

UK: /ˈlaɪm/ US: /laɪm/ ,(līm)

Inflections of 'lime' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

limes

v 3rd person singular

liming

v pres p

limed

v past

limed

v past p

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

lime¹ /laɪm/   n. [uncountable]

1. Chemistry a white or grayish white, odorless, lumpy solid used chiefly in mortar, plaster, and cement, in bleaching powder, and in various compounds for improving crops.

lim•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

lime² /laɪm/   n. 

1. Plant Biology the small, greenish yellow, acid fruit of a citrus tree related to the lemon:
   [countable] two limes.
   [uncountable] a taste of lime.
2. Plant Biology [countable] the tree that bears this fruit.
3. [uncountable] a greenish yellow.

adj. 

4. of the color lime.
5. made with limes.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

lime¹  (līm), n., v., limed, lim•ing. 
n. 

1. Chemistry Also called burnt lime, calcium oxide, caustic lime, calx, quicklime. a white or grayish-white, odorless, lumpy, very slightly water-soluble solid, CaO, that when combined with water forms calcium hydroxide (slaked lime), obtained from calcium carbonate, limestone, or oyster shells: used chiefly in mortars, plasters, and cements, in bleaching powder, and in the manufacture of steel, paper, glass, and various chemicals of calcium.
2. Chemistry a calcium compound for improving crops grown in soils deficient in lime.
3. birdlime.

v.t. 

4. to treat (soil) with lime or compounds of calcium.
5. to smear (twigs, branches, etc.) with birdlime.
6. to catch with or as if with birdlime.
7. to paint or cover (a surface) with a composition of lime and water;
   whitewash:
   The government buildings were freshly limed.

• bef. 900; Middle English, Old English līm; cognate with Dutch lijm, German Leim, Old Norse līm glue, Latin līmus slime; akin to loam

lime′less, adj. 
lime′like′, adj. 

lime²  (līm), n. 

1. Plant Biology the small, greenish-yellow, acid fruit of a citrus tree, Citrus aurantifolia, allied to the lemon.
2. Plant Biology the tree that bears this fruit.
3. greenish yellow.

adj. 

4. of the color lime.
5. of or made with limes.

• Persian līmū(n); compare lemon
• Arabic līmah, līm citrus fruit
• Spanish lima
• 1615–25

lime′less, adj. 
lime′like′, adj. 

lime³  (līm), n. 

1. Plant Biology the European linden,
   Tilia europaea.

• unexplained variant of obsolete line, lind, Middle English, Old English lind. See linden 1615–25

lime⁴  (līm), n. [Informal.]

1. Informal Terms limelight.

• shortened form

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lime / laɪm/ noun

1. short for quicklime, birdlime, slaked lime
2. any of certain calcium compounds, esp calcium hydroxide, spread as a dressing on lime-deficient land

verb (transitive)

1. to spread (twigs, etc) with birdlime
2. to spread a calcium compound upon (land) to improve plant growth
3. to catch (animals, esp birds) with or as if with birdlime
4. to whitewash or cover (a wall, ceiling, etc) with a mixture of lime and water (limewash)

Etymology: Old English līm; related to Icelandic līm glue, Latin līmus slime

lime / laɪm/ noun

1. a small Asian citrus tree, Citrus aurantifolia, with stiff sharp spines and small round or oval greenish fruits
2. the fruit of this tree, having acid fleshy pulp rich in vitamin C
3. (as modifier): lime juice

adjective

1. having the flavour of lime fruit

Etymology: 17th Century: from French, from Provençal, from Arabic līmah

lime / laɪm/ noun

1. any linden tree, such as Tilia europaea, planted in many varieties for ornament

Etymology: 17th Century: changed from obsolete line, from Old English lind linden