lesson — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To instruct to teach.

   Usage

   • Archaic

   Examples

   And you, my sister—you, who lesson me on endurance, your cheek is pale, and your step languid; even with you, how much has life lost its interest!

Noun

1. A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.

   Examples

   Our next lesson is about animals.

   In our school a typical working week consists of around twenty lessons and ten hours of related laboratory work.

2. A learning task assigned to a student; homework.

3. Something learned or to be learned.

   Examples

   I learned an important lesson from that mistake.

   Nature has many lessons to teach to us.

4. Something that serves as a warning or encouragement.

   Examples

   I hope this accident taught you a lesson!

   The accident was a good lesson to me.

5. A section of the Bible or other religious text read as part of a divine service.

   Examples

   Here endeth the first lesson.

6. A severe lecture; reproof; rebuke; warning.

   Examples

   She would give her a lesson for walking so late.

   More examples (1)

   The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;[…]. Now she had come to look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation of a possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold.

7. An exercise; a composition serving an educational purpose; a study.

Verb

1. To give a lesson to; to teach.

   Related words

   Lesson in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

   Examples

   her owne daughter Pleasure, to whom shee Made her companion, and her lessoned In all the lore of loue, and goodly womanhead.

   To rest the weary, and to soothe the sad, Doth lesson happier men, and shame at least the bad.

Noun

1. a unit of instruction

   Broader terms

   teachinginstructionpedagogy

   Examples

   he took driving lessons

2. punishment intended as a warning to others

   Synonyms

   exampledeterrent exampleobject lesson

   Broader terms

   admonitionmonitionwarningword of advice

   Examples

   they decided to make an example of him

3. the significance of a story or event

   Synonyms

   moral

   Broader terms

   meaningsignificancesignificationimport

   Examples

   the moral of the story is to love thy neighbor

4. a task assigned for individual study

   Broader terms

   school assignmentschoolworkhomework

   Examples

   he did the lesson for today