Hypertext Webster Gateway: "lees"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Lees
(Heb. shemarim), from a word meaning to keep or preserve. It was
applied to "lees" from the custom of allowing wine to stand on
the lees that it might thereby be better preserved (Isa. 25:6).
"Men settled on their lees" (Zeph. 1:12) are men "hardened or
crusted." The image is derived from the crust formed at the
bottom of wines long left undisturbed (Jer. 48:11). The effect
of wealthy undisturbed ease on the ungodly is hardening. They
become stupidly secure (comp. Ps. 55:19; Amos 6:1). To drink the
lees (Ps. 75:8) denotes severe suffering.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Lee \Lee\, n.; pl. {Lees} (l[=e]z). [F. lie, perh. fr. L. levare
to lift up, raise. Cf. {Lever}.]
That which settles at the bottom, as of a cask of liquor
(esp. wine); sediment; dregs; -- used now only in the plural.
[Lees occurs also as a form of the singular.] ``The lees of
wine.'' --Holland.
A thousand demons lurk within the lee. --Young.
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left
this vault to brag of. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Lees \Lees\ (l[=e]s), n.
A leash. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Lees \Lees\ (l[=e]z), n. pl.
Dregs. See 2d {Lee}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
lees
n : the sediment from fermentation of an alcoholic beverage
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.