LASS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does lass mean? 

• LASS (noun)
  The noun LASS has 1 sense:

1. a girl or young woman who is unmarried

  Familiarity information: LASS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LASS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A girl or young woman who is unmarried

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

jeune fille; lass; lassie; young girl

Hypernyms ("lass" is a kind of...):

fille; girl; miss; missy; young lady; young woman (a young female)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lass"):

bobby-socker; bobbysoxer (an adolescent girl wearing bobby socks (common in the 1940s))

Lolita (a sexually precocious young girl)

 Context examples 

With my wife and my two little lasses at Morpeth in the North Country.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Well lass," replied a voice within, "give it her if she's a beggar. T' pig doesn't want it."

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

My daughter is growing quite a tall lass now, sir, said Mr. Chillip, giving his little head another little shake.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It was indeed a tall and buxom country lass, with a basket of spinach-leaves upon her head, and a great slab of bacon tucked under one arm.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

That won't harm ye, my pretty; an' it may make poor Geordie gladsome to have so trim a lass sittin' on his lap. That won't hurt ye.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

‘That’s all right, my lass,’ said I, putting out my hand towards her in a kindly way, but she had it in both hers in an instant, and they burned as if they were in a fever.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She sat down in one corner of the room, and began to bewail her hard fate; when on a sudden the door opened, and a droll-looking little man hobbled in, and said, Good morrow to you, my good lass; what are you weeping for?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Such sayings exist in numerous languages: other examples in English include "Grape or grain, but never the twain”, while Germans claim “Wein auf Bier, das rat’ ich Dir—Bier auf Wein, das lass’ sein” and the French say “Bière sur vin est venin, vin sur bière est belle manière”.###!!!###

(Wine before beer, or beer before wine? Either way, you’ll be hungover, University of Cambridge)

“Well, old lass, I give my davy that I never will. It’s best that I leave fightin’ before fightin’ leaves me.”

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“By St. George! our life is short, and we should be merry while we may. May I never see Chester Bridge again, if she is not a right winsome lass!”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)