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# lye

noun (lye, uncountable)

«lye» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Lye is a very strong chemical, an alkali, used to make soap and to clean drains. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#m1)
2. Lye can burn skin and eyes badly, so it is dangerous. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#m2)
3. In old Slavic words, lye meant a forest, as in the wood-demon named Lyeshy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science and history lessons about how soap was made from fat and lye; in safety lessons it is a household danger that must be locked away. Phrases: «lye soap», «caustic lye».

### Examples

- People once made soap from animal fat and lye. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x1)
- Lye is so strong it can burn your skin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x2)
- Drain cleaners often contain lye. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x3)
- Never touch lye without gloves and goggles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x4)
- Lye is used to make pretzels shiny and brown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x5)
- Pioneers made lye from wood ash and water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x6)
- Keep lye locked away from children. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x7)
- Lye is an alkali, the opposite of an acid. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x8)
- The name Leshy or Lyeshy is derived from lyes, a forest. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/#x9)

### Note

Uncountable. Homophone: «lye» sounds the same as «lie» (to say something untrue, or to rest flat). Safety: if lye touches skin, rinse with lots of water and tell an adult straight away.

## In Jewish tradition

It is a strong cleaning substance used to purify metal by taking out the impurities.

**Interpretation.** Isaiah says God will purify Jerusalem as a smith cleans silver. Tradition reads this as God punishing in order to cleanse.

### Examples

- And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purge away thy dross as with lye, and will take away all thine alloy; (Prophets ISA.1.25, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lye/#x1)

### Note

Uncountable. Homophone: «lye» sounds the same as «lie» (to say something untrue, or to rest flat). Safety: if lye touches skin, rinse with lots of water and tell an adult straight away.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «lye» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lye/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«lye» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/lye.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «lye» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lye/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«lye» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/lye.html) on Mova free.