lye
pronunciation
How to pronounce lye in British English:
UK [laɪ]
How to pronounce lye in American English:
US [laɪ]
-
- Noun:
- a strong solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide
Word Origin
- lye (n.)
- Old English læg, leag "lye," from Proto-Germanic *laugo (cognates: Middle Dutch loghe, Dutch loog, Old High German louga, German Lauge "lye"), from PIE root *leue- "to wash" (see lave). The substance was formerly used in place of soap, hence Old High German luhhen "to wash," Old Norse laug "hot bath, hot spring," Danish lørdag, Swedish lördag "Saturday," literally "washing-day." Chamber-lye in early Modern English was the name for urine used as a detergent.
Example
- 1. Making him dead before he was doused with lye .
- 2. Lye can cause serious burns .
- 3. Why don 't we drink this lye and die together ?
- 4. The paper bleach in lye .
- 5. Some people make soap with potash lye .