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Zest vs Lest - What's the difference?

zest | lest |

As a noun zest

is gesture.

As a conjunction lest is

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

zest

English

Noun

(wikipedia zest)
  • The outer skin of a citrus fruit, used as a flavouring or garnish.
    • The orange zest gives the strong flavors in this dish.
  • (by extension) Enthusiasm; keen enjoyment; relish; gusto.
    • Auntie Mame had a real zest for life.
  • * Young
    • Almighty Vanity! to thee they owe / Their zest of pleasure, and their balm of woe.
  • * Gogan
    • Liberality of disposition and conduct gives the highest zest and relish to social intercourse.
  • The woody, thick skin enclosing the kernel of a walnut.
  • * 2006 , N. J. Nusha, On the edge: short stories (page 85)
    • The green zest of walnuts was used by the women to shine their teeth and it also gave a beautiful rust colour to their lips.

    Related terms

    () * zestful * zestfully * zesty

    Synonyms

    * (enthusiasm) gusto * spice, relish, tang

    Verb

  • (cooking) To scrape the zest from a fruit
  • To make more zesty
    • ----

    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

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