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Lye

//laɪ// name, noun, verb

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A suburban area in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England (OS grid ref SO9284).
  2. 2
    A diminutive of the female given name Lyanna. rare
Noun
  1. 1
    An alkaline liquid made by leaching ashes (usually wood ashes). countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    Obsolete spelling of lie. alt-of, obsolete
  3. 3
    a strong solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide wordnet
  4. 4
    Potassium or sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). countable, uncountable

    "She had not left the lye in too long so that the hair would fall out in clumps later."

  5. 5
    A short side line, connected with the main line; a turn-out; a siding. UK

    "Brakevan lye. [same page in the main text] There is also an inclined lye for brakevans at each end of the yard."

Verb
  1. 1
    To treat with lye.
  2. 2
    Obsolete spelling of lie. alt-of, obsolete

    "Now negligent of sports I lye, And now as other Fawkners use, I spring a mistresse, sweare, write, sigh and weepe: And the game kill'd, or lost, goe talk, and sleepe."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English leye, lye, from Old English lēah, lēag (“lye”), from Proto-West Germanic *laugu, from Proto-Germanic *laugō, from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₃- (“to wash”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Loge, Looie (“lye”), Dutch loog (“lye”), German Low German Loge, Loje, Loog (“lye”), German Lauge (“lye”). Compare typologically Ancient Greek ῥύμμα (rhúmma) < ῥύπτω (rhúptō, “to cleanse, to wash”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English leye, lye, from Old English lēah, lēag (“lye”), from Proto-West Germanic *laugu, from Proto-Germanic *laugō, from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₃- (“to wash”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Loge, Looie (“lye”), Dutch loog (“lye”), German Low German Loge, Loje, Loog (“lye”), German Lauge (“lye”). Compare typologically Ancient Greek ῥύμμα (rhúmma) < ῥύπτω (rhúptō, “to cleanse, to wash”).

Etymology 3

Variant of lie (“to rest horizontally”) now used in a specialised sense; compare sett.

Etymology 4

Variant of lie (“to rest horizontally”) now used in a specialised sense; compare sett.

See also for "lye"

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