leer
EnglishEdit
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
Exact development uncertain, but apparently from a verb *leer (“to make a face”), from leer (“face”).
VerbEdit
leer (third-person singular simple present leers, present participle leering, simple past and past participle leered)
- (intransitive) To look sideways or obliquely; now especially with sexual desire or malicious intent.
- 1834 [1799], Samuel Taylor Coleridge; Robert Southey, “The Devil's Thoughts”, in The Poetical Works of S. T. Coleridge, volume II, London: W. Pickering, page 86:
- And she looked to Mr. –––– / And leered like a love-sick pigeon.
- 1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter XXXVIII, in Great Expectations […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC:
- I thought I saw him leer in an ugly way at me while the decanters were going round, but as there was no love lost between us, that might easily be.
- 1878, Henry James, chapter VI, in The Europeans[1], Macmillan and Co.:
- The Baroness perceived that her entertainer had analyzed material comfort to a sufficiently fine point. And then he possessed the most delightful chinoiseries—trophies of his sojourn in the Celestial Empire: pagodas of ebony and cabinets of ivory; sculptured monsters, grinning and leering on chimney-pieces, in front of beautifully figured hand-screens; […]
- 1880, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter XVIII, in A Tramp Abroad; […], Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company; London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
- It was a quarter well stocked with deformed, leering, unkempt and uncombed idiots, who held out hands or caps and begged piteously.
- 1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter XIII, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.; Melbourne, Vic.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC:
- “Hush! Don’t say that. You have done enough evil in your life. My God! Don’t you see that accursed thing leering at us?”
- (transitive) To entice with a leer or leers.
- 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 6:
- But Bertran has been taught the Arts of Court, / To guild a Face with Smiles; and leer a man to ruin.
ConjugationEdit
infinitive | (to) leer | ||
---|---|---|---|
present tense | past tense | ||
1st-person singular | leer | leered | |
2nd-person singular | leer, leerest† | leered, leeredst† | |
3rd-person singular | leers, leereth† | leered | |
plural | leer | ||
subjunctive | leer | leered | |
imperative | leer | — | |
participles | leering | leered |
TranslationsEdit
|
NounEdit
leer (plural leers)
- A significant side glance; a glance expressive of some passion, as malignity, amorousness, etc.; a sly or lecherous look.
- 1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXXIX, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC:
- Nevertheless humanity stood before him no longer in the pensive sweetness of Italian art, but in the staring and ghastly attitudes of a Wiertz Museum, and with the leer of a study by Van Beers.
- 1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter XVI, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.; Melbourne, Vic.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC:
- “ […] They say he has sold himself to the devil for a pretty face. It’s nigh on eighteen years since I met him. He hasn’t changed much since then. I have, though,” she added, with a sickly leer.
- 1895, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, The Stark Munro Letters: […], London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC:
- I rose and bade him good-night, with a last impression of him leaning back in his dressing-gown, a sodden cigar-end in the corner of his mouth, his beard all slopped with whisky, and his half-glazed eyes looking sideways after me with the leer of a satyr.
- 1897, Bram Stoker, chapter XX, in Dracula, New York, N.Y.: Modern Library, →OCLC:
- “ […] I have friends—good friends—like you, Dr. Seward”; this was said with a leer of inexpressible cunning.
- 1913 December – 1914 March, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “In Durance”, in The Warlord of Mars, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., published September 1919, →OCLC:
- There was a nasty leer upon his face as he stepped close to her and spoke again. I could not hear his words, but her answer came clearly.
- An arch or affected glance or cast of countenance.
TranslationsEdit
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Etymology 2Edit
From Middle English ler, leor (“face, cheek”), from Old English hlēor (“face, cheek, profile”), from Proto-Germanic *hleuzą (“ear, cheek”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlews- (“temple of the forehead, cheek”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlewe-, *ḱlew- (“to hear”). Cognate with Scots lire, lere (“face, appearance, complexion”), Dutch lier (“cheek”), Swedish lyra (“pout”), Norwegian lia (“hillside”), Icelandic hlýr (“the face, cheek, countenance”). Related to Old English hlyst (“sense of hearing, listening”) and hlysnan (“to listen”). More at list, listen.
Alternative formsEdit
NounEdit
leer (plural leers)
- (obsolete) The cheek.
- 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC:
- No ladie (quoth the earle with a lowd voice, and the tears trilling downe his leeres)
- (obsolete) The face.
- (obsolete) One's appearance; countenance.
- c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
- a Rosalind of a better leer than you
- (obsolete) Complexion; hue; colour.
- c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
- Here's a young lad fram'd of another leer.
Look, how the black slave smiles upon the father;
- (obsolete) Flesh; skin.
- (UK dialectal) The flank or loin.
Etymology 3Edit
From Middle English lere, from Old English ġelǣr, *lǣre (“empty, void, empty-handed”), from Proto-Germanic *lēziz, *lēzijaz (“empty”), from Proto-Indo-European *les- (“to collect, pick”). Cognate with Dutch laar (“a clearing in the woods”), German leer (“empty”). Related to Old English lesan (“to gather, collect”). More at lease.
Alternative formsEdit
AdjectiveEdit
leer (comparative more leer, superlative most leer)
- (obsolete) Empty; unoccupied; clear.
- 1591, John Harington, Orlando Furioso:
- The horse runs leere away without the man.
- (obsolete) Destitute; lacking; wanting.
- (obsolete) Faint from lack of food; hungry.
- (UK dialectal, obsolete) Thin; faint.
- (obsolete) Having no load or burden; free; without a rider.
- 1629 (first performance), B[en] Jonson, The Nevv Inne. Or, The Light Heart. […], London: […] Thomas Harper, for Thomas Alchorne, […], published 1631, →OCLC, (please specify the page, or act number in uppercase Roman numerals), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- a leer horse
- (obsolete) Lacking sense or seriousness; trifling; frivolous.
- leer words
Derived termsEdit
Etymology 4Edit
From Middle English leren, from Old English lǣran (“to teach, instruct, guide, enjoin, advise, persuade, urge, preach, hand down”), from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną (“to teach”), from Proto-Indo-European *leis- (“track, footprint, furrow, trace”). Cognate with Dutch leren (“to teach”), German lehren (“to teach”), Swedish lära (“to teach”). Related to Old English lār (“lore, learning, science, art of teaching, preaching, doctrine, study, precept, exhortation, advice, instigation, history, story, cunning”). See lore.
VerbEdit
leer (third-person singular simple present leers, present participle leering, simple past and past participle leered)
- (transitive, obsolete) To teach.
- (transitive, obsolete) To learn.
Etymology 5Edit
See lehr.
NounEdit
leer (plural leers)
- Alternative form of lehr
AnagramsEdit
AfrikaansEdit
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Dutch leren, from Middle Dutch lêren, from Old Dutch lēren, from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną.
VerbEdit
leer (present leer, present participle lerende, past participle geleer)
- To learn.
Etymology 2Edit
From Dutch leer, from Middle Dutch lêre, from Old Dutch lēra, from Proto-Germanic *laizō.
NounEdit
leer (uncountable)
- A teaching.
Etymology 3Edit
From Dutch leer, from older leder, from Middle Dutch lēder, from Old Dutch *lether, from Proto-Germanic *leþrą.
NounEdit
leer (uncountable)
Etymology 4Edit
From Dutch leer (dialectal synonym of ladder), from Middle Dutch leer.
NounEdit
leer (plural lere)
- A ladder.
DescendantsEdit
DanishEdit
PronunciationEdit
- Rhymes: -eːˀər
NounEdit
leer c
- indefinite plural of le
DutchEdit
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
Contraction of leder, from Middle Dutch leder, from Old Dutch *lether, from Proto-West Germanic *leþr, from Proto-Germanic *leþrą.
NounEdit
leer n (uncountable)
Derived termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
Etymology 2Edit
From Middle Dutch lêre, from Old Dutch lēra, from Proto-Germanic *laizō.
NounEdit
leer f (plural leren, diminutive leertje n)
- A doctrine.
- Theory, teachings.
- A field of learning; set of lessons and theory on a subject within a discipline.
Derived termsEdit
- beleren
- betekenisleer
- dwaalleer
- erfelijkheidsleerleer
- evolutieleer
- geloofsleer
- getallenleer
- leermeester
- leerstelling
- leervast
- notenleer
- rechtsleer
- streng in de leer
- verzamelingenleer
- vormleer
- warmteleer
- zedenleer
DescendantsEdit
Etymology 3Edit
From Middle Dutch leer, contraction of ledere.
NounEdit
leer f (plural leren)
DescendantsEdit
- Afrikaans: leer
Etymology 4Edit
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
VerbEdit
leer
AnagramsEdit
EstonianEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Middle Low German leger, lager. Etymological twin of laager.
NounEdit
leer (genitive leeri, partitive leeri)
DeclensionEdit
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | leer | leerid |
genitive | leeri | leeride |
partitive | leeri | leere / leerisid |
illative | leeri / leerisse | leeridesse / leeresse |
inessive | leeris | leerides / leeres |
elative | leerist | leeridest / leerest |
allative | leerile | leeridele / leerele |
adessive | leeril | leeridel / leerel |
ablative | leerilt | leeridelt / leerelt |
translative | leeriks | leerideks / leereks |
terminative | leerini | leerideni |
essive | leerina | leeridena |
abessive | leerita | leerideta |
comitative | leeriga | leeridega |
Etymology 2Edit
From Middle Low German lere (“study, learning”).
NounEdit
leer (genitive leeri, partitive leeri)
- A (protestant) confirmation into the faithful community.
DeclensionEdit
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | leer | leerid |
genitive | leeri | leeride |
partitive | leeri | leere / leerisid |
illative | leeri / leerisse | leeridesse / leeresse |
inessive | leeris | leerides / leeres |
elative | leerist | leeridest / leerest |
allative | leerile | leeridele / leerele |
adessive | leeril | leeridel / leerel |
ablative | leerilt | leeridelt / leerelt |
translative | leeriks | leerideks / leereks |
terminative | leerini | leerideni |
essive | leerina | leeridena |
abessive | leerita | leerideta |
comitative | leeriga | leeridega |
GermanEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle High German lēr, lēre, lǣre, from Old High German lāri, from Proto-West Germanic *lāʀi, from Proto-Germanic *lēziz. Cognate with Dutch laar, English leer.
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
leer (strong nominative masculine singular leerer, comparative leerer, superlative am leersten)
DeclensionEdit
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
predicative | er ist leer | sie ist leer | es ist leer | sie sind leer | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | leerer | leere | leeres | leere |
genitive | leeren | leerer | leeren | leerer | |
dative | leerem | leerer | leerem | leeren | |
accusative | leeren | leere | leeres | leere | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der leere | die leere | das leere | die leeren |
genitive | des leeren | der leeren | des leeren | der leeren | |
dative | dem leeren | der leeren | dem leeren | den leeren | |
accusative | den leeren | die leere | das leere | die leeren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein leerer | eine leere | ein leeres | (keine) leeren |
genitive | eines leeren | einer leeren | eines leeren | (keiner) leeren | |
dative | einem leeren | einer leeren | einem leeren | (keinen) leeren | |
accusative | einen leeren | eine leere | ein leeres | (keine) leeren |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
predicative | er ist leerer | sie ist leerer | es ist leerer | sie sind leerer | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | leererer | leerere | leereres | leerere |
genitive | leereren | leererer | leereren | leererer | |
dative | leererem | leererer | leererem | leereren | |
accusative | leereren | leerere | leereres | leerere | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der leerere | die leerere | das leerere | die leereren |
genitive | des leereren | der leereren | des leereren | der leereren | |
dative | dem leereren | der leereren | dem leereren | den leereren | |
accusative | den leereren | die leerere | das leerere | die leereren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein leererer | eine leerere | ein leereres | (keine) leereren |
genitive | eines leereren | einer leereren | eines leereren | (keiner) leereren | |
dative | einem leereren | einer leereren | einem leereren | (keinen) leereren | |
accusative | einen leereren | eine leerere | ein leereres | (keine) leereren |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
predicative | er ist am leersten | sie ist am leersten | es ist am leersten | sie sind am leersten | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | leerster | leerste | leerstes | leerste |
genitive | leersten | leerster | leersten | leerster | |
dative | leerstem | leerster | leerstem | leersten | |
accusative | leersten | leerste | leerstes | leerste | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der leerste | die leerste | das leerste | die leersten |
genitive | des leersten | der leersten | des leersten | der leersten | |
dative | dem leersten | der leersten | dem leersten | den leersten | |
accusative | den leersten | die leerste | das leerste | die leersten | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein leerster | eine leerste | ein leerstes | (keine) leersten |
genitive | eines leersten | einer leersten | eines leersten | (keiner) leersten | |
dative | einem leersten | einer leersten | einem leersten | (keinen) leersten | |
accusative | einen leersten | eine leerste | ein leerstes | (keine) leersten |
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
VerbEdit
leer
Further readingEdit
Norwegian BokmålEdit
VerbEdit
leer
Pennsylvania GermanEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle High German lǣre, from Old High German lāri. Compare German leer.
AdjectiveEdit
leer
RomanschEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin aēr, with the initial 'l' added from a preceding definite article.
NounEdit
leer m
SynonymsEdit
SpanishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin legere (“to read, gather, choose”), from Proto-Italic *legō, from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-. Related with English legend, legible, lesson.
PronunciationEdit
VerbEdit
leer (first-person singular present leo, first-person singular preterite leí, past participle leído)
- to read
- 1605, Miguel de Cervantes, “Capítulo I”, in El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha, Primera parte:
- […] y llegó a tanto su curiosidad y desatino en esto, que vendió muchas hanegas de tierra de sembradura para comprar libros de caballerías en que leer, y, así, llevó a su casa todos cuantos pudo haber dellos.
- […] to such a pitch did his eagerness and infatuation go that he sold many an acre of tillage land to buy books of chivalry to read, and brought home as many of them as he could get.
- Quiero leer el periódico.
- I want to read the newspaper.
- Léase también la Orden General núm. 8.
- Also read General Order No. 8.
- Synonym: (Belize) ridear
ConjugationEdit
infinitive | leer | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gerund | leyendo | ||||||
past participle | masculine | feminine | |||||
singular | leído | leída | |||||
plural | leídos | leídas | |||||
singular | plural | ||||||
1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | 1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | ||
indicative | yo | tú vos |
él/ella/ello usted |
nosotros nosotras |
vosotros vosotras |
ellos/ellas ustedes | |
present | leo | leestú leésvos |
lee | leemos | leéis | leen | |
imperfect | leía | leías | leía | leíamos | leíais | leían | |
preterite | leí | leíste | leyó | leímos | leísteis | leyeron | |
future | leeré | leerás | leerá | leeremos | leeréis | leerán | |
conditional | leería | leerías | leería | leeríamos | leeríais | leerían | |
subjunctive | yo | tú vos |
él/ella/ello usted |
nosotros nosotras |
vosotros vosotras |
ellos/ellas ustedes | |
present | lea | leastú leásvos2 |
lea | leamos | leáis | lean | |
imperfect (ra) |
leyera | leyeras | leyera | leyéramos | leyerais | leyeran | |
imperfect (se) |
leyese | leyeses | leyese | leyésemos | leyeseis | leyesen | |
future1 | leyere | leyeres | leyere | leyéremos | leyereis | leyeren | |
imperative | — | tú vos |
usted | nosotros nosotras |
vosotros vosotras |
ustedes | |
affirmative | leetú leévos |
lea | leamos | leed | lean | ||
negative | no leas | no lea | no leamos | no leáis | no lean |
These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | 1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | ||
with infinitive leer | |||||||
dative | leerme | leerte | leerle, leerse | leernos | leeros | leerles, leerse | |
accusative | leerme | leerte | leerlo, leerla, leerse | leernos | leeros | leerlos, leerlas, leerse | |
with gerund leyendo | |||||||
dative | leyéndome | leyéndote | leyéndole, leyéndose | leyéndonos | leyéndoos | leyéndoles, leyéndose | |
accusative | leyéndome | leyéndote | leyéndolo, leyéndola, leyéndose | leyéndonos | leyéndoos | leyéndolos, leyéndolas, leyéndose | |
with informal second-person singular tú imperative lee | |||||||
dative | léeme | léete | léele | léenos | not used | léeles | |
accusative | léeme | léete | léelo, léela | léenos | not used | léelos, léelas | |
with informal second-person singular vos imperative leé | |||||||
dative | leeme | leete | leele | leenos | not used | leeles | |
accusative | leeme | leete | leelo, leela | leenos | not used | leelos, leelas | |
with formal second-person singular imperative lea | |||||||
dative | léame | not used | léale, léase | léanos | not used | léales | |
accusative | léame | not used | léalo, léala, léase | léanos | not used | léalos, léalas | |
with first-person plural imperative leamos | |||||||
dative | not used | leámoste | leámosle | leámonos | leámoos | leámosles | |
accusative | not used | leámoste | leámoslo, leámosla | leámonos | leámoos | leámoslos, leámoslas | |
with informal second-person plural imperative leed | |||||||
dative | leedme | not used | leedle | leednos | leeos | leedles | |
accusative | leedme | not used | leedlo, leedla | leednos | leeos | leedlos, leedlas | |
with formal second-person plural imperative lean | |||||||
dative | léanme | not used | léanle | léannos | not used | léanles, léanse | |
accusative | léanme | not used | léanlo, léanla | léannos | not used | léanlos, léanlas, léanse |
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
- Quechua: liyiy
Further readingEdit
- “leer”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014