léas

See also: leas, leaš, -leas, and leas-

Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l̠ʲeːsˠ/

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish lés (“light, radiance”), from Proto-Celtic *ɸlenstus. Possibly influenced by Old Norse ljós.

Noun

léas m (genitive singular léis, nominative plural léasacha)

1. ray of light; light, radiance; beam, streak (of light); gleam, glimmer
2. weal, welt; red spot, blister

Declension

Declension of léas

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative léas léasacha Vocative a léis a léasacha Genitive léis léasacha Dative léas léasacha

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an léas na léasacha Genitive an léis na léasacha Dative leis an léas don léas leis na léasacha

Derived terms

• spéirléas

Etymology 2

From Middle Irish léas, from Middle English, from Anglo-Norman lesser, laisier (“to let, let go”), from Medieval Latin lassō (“let, let go”).

Noun

léas m (genitive singular léasa, nominative plural léasanna)

1. lease

Declension

Declension of léas

Third declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative léas léasanna Vocative a léas a léasanna Genitive léasa léasanna Dative léas léasanna

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an léas na léasanna Genitive an léasa na léasanna Dative leis an léas don léas leis na léasanna

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

léas f (genitive singular léise, nominative plural léasa)

1. Alternative form of dias (“ear of corn; spike; point; scion”)
2. (agriculture) cornstalk (with ear)
3. wisp of straw

Declension

Declension of léas

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative léas léasa Vocative a léas a léasa Genitive léise léas Dative léas léasa

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an léas na léasa Genitive na léise na léas Dative leis an léas don léas leis na léasa

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

léas (present analytic léasann, future analytic léasfaidh, verbal noun léasadh, past participle léasta)

1. (transitive) welt; thrash, flog

Conjugation

conjugation of léas (first conjugation – A)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	léasaim	léasann tú; léasair†	léasann sé, sí	léasaimid	léasann sibh	léasann siad; léasaid†	a léasann; a léasas	léastar
	past	léas mé; léasas	léas tú; léasais	léas sé, sí	léasamar; léas muid	léas sibh; léasabhair	léas siad; léasadar	a léas / ar léas*	léasadh
	past habitual	léasainn	léastá	léasadh sé, sí	léasaimis; léasadh muid	léasadh sibh	léasaidís; léasadh siad	a léasadh / a léasadh*	léastaí
future		léasfaidh mé; léasfad	léasfaidh tú; léasfair†	léasfaidh sé, sí	léasfaimid; léasfaidh muid	léasfaidh sibh	léasfaidh siad; léasfaid†	a léasfaidh; a léasfas	léasfar
conditional		léasfainn	léasfá	léasfadh sé, sí	léasfaimis; léasfadh muid	léasfadh sibh	léasfaidís; léasfadh siad	a léasfadh / a léasfadh*	léasfaí
subjunctive	present	go léasa mé; go léasad†	go léasa tú; go léasair†	go léasa sé, sí	go léasaimid; go léasa muid	go léasa sibh	go léasa siad; go léasaid†	—	go léastar
	past	dá léasainn	dá léastá	dá léasadh sé, sí	dá léasaimis; dá léasadh muid	dá léasadh sibh	dá léasaidís; dá léasadh siad	—	dá léastaí
imperative		léasaim	léas	léasadh sé, sí	léasaimis	léasaigí; léasaidh†	léasaidís	—	léastar
verbal noun		léasadh
past participle		léasta

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form

Etymology 5

Verb

léas

1. present indicative relative of léigh
2. first-person singular past indicative of léigh

Alternative forms

• léigheas (obsolete)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “léas”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN