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Lest vs For - What's the difference?

lest | for |

As a conjunction lest

is for fear that; that not; in order that not; in case.

As a noun for is

oven.

lest

English

Conjunction

(English Conjunctions)
  • For fear that; that . . . not; in order that . . . not; in case.
  • * '>citation
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-27, volume=408, issue=8846, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Lunacy? , passage=Lest any astrologer reading this result get cocky, Dr Cajochen does not believe that what he has found is directly influenced by the Moon through, say, some tidal effect. What he thinks he has discovered is an additional hand on the body’s clock-face.}}
  • That (without the negative particle); – after certain expressions denoting fear or apprehension.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}

    Usage notes

    The word lest is always followed by the , usually in either the present or future tense. For example: Lest they be captured, the soldiers fled from the battlefield. The future subjunctive would simply employ the auxiliary word should .

    Synonyms

    * (for fear that) (informal)

    See also

    * judge not lest ye be judged * in case * lest we forget

    Anagrams

    * * *

    References

    ----

    for

    English

    (wikipedia for)

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • Because.
  • * 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) , Chapter 23
  • "By means of the Golden Cap I shall command the Winged Monkeys to carry you to the gates of the Emerald City," said Glinda, "for it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler."

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Towards.
  • The astronauts headed for the moon.
  • Directed at, intended to belong to.
  • I have something for you.
  • Supporting (opposite of against ).
  • All those for the motion raise your hands.
  • Because of.
  • He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help him.
    (UK usage) He looks better for having lost weight.
    She was the worse for drink.
  • * Shakespeare
  • with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath
  • Over a period of time.
  • They fought for days over a silly pencil.
  • * Garth
  • To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day.
  • Throughout an extent of space.
  • * Shakespeare
  • For many miles about / There's scarce a bush.
  • On behalf of.
  • I will stand in for him.
  • Instead of, or in place of.
  • * Bible, Exodus xxi. 23, 24
  • And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for' life, eye '''for''' eye, tooth '''for''' tooth, hand '''for''' hand, foot ' for foot.
  • In order to obtain or acquire.
  • I am aiming for completion by the end of business Thursday.
    He's going for his doctorate.
    Do you want to go for coffee?
    People all over Greece looked to Delphi for answers.
    Can you go to the store for some eggs?
    I'm saving up for a car.
    Don't wait for an answer.
    What did he ask you for ?
  • * Denham
  • He writes not for' money, nor ' for praise.
  • In the direction of:
  • Run for the hills!
    He was headed for the door when he remembered.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • We sailed from Peru for China and Japan.
  • By the standards of, usually with the implication of those standards being lower than one might otherwise expect.
  • Fair for its day.
    She's spry for an old lady.
  • Despite, in spite of.
  • * 1892 August 6, , "The Unbidden Guest", in All the Year Round , ] [http://books.google.com/books?id=XNwRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA133&dq=%22but+for%22 page 133,
  • Mr. Joseph Blenkinshaw was perhaps not worth quite so much as was reported; but for all that he was a very wealthy man
  • * 1968 , J. J. Scarisbrick, Henry VIII (page 240)
  • For all his faults, there had been something lofty and great about him - as a judge, as a patron of education, as a builder, as an international figure.
  • For that to happen now is incredibly unlikely.'' (=''It is incredibly unlikely that that will happen now. )
    All I want is for you to be happy.'' (=''All I want is that you be happy. )
  • (chiefly, US) Out of;
  • (cricket) (used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen)
  • Indicating that in the character of or as being which anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being.
  • * Cowley
  • We take a falling meteor for a star.
  • * John Locke
  • If a man can be fully assured of anything for' a truth, without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace ' for true?
  • * Dryden
  • Most of our ingenious young men take up some cry'd-up English poet for their model.
  • * Philips
  • But let her go for an ungrateful woman.
  • See the entry for the phrasal verb.
  • (obsolete) Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
  • We'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet.

    Antonyms

    * against

    Derived terms

    * for good * for good and all * for good measure * for it * for kicks * for real * for the record * once and for all

    Statistics

    *

    References

    * Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition , Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8