Home › Glossary › Letter L

lave

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An archaic verb meaning to wash or bathe, often used in poetic contexts for both literal and metaphorical cleansing; in poetry, it conveys purification, renewal, and the restorative power of water.

Detailed Definition
The term 'lave' is an archaic verb meaning to wash or bathe. It is often used in literature to evoke a sense of purity and renewal, as seen in the poem where the speaker recalls bathing in the clear waters of the stream. This word adds a lyrical quality to the imagery of youth and nature.
Example
Example in poetry:
"My youthful limbs I wont to lave" (to wash, bathe); "She lave her hands in the clear stream" (nature); "Lave the wound with cool water" (healing); "The waves lave the sandy shore" (shoreline); "He would lave his brow in the fountain" (ritual)
Additional Notes
The word 'lave' is used in the context of washing, emphasizing the speaker's connection to the stream and the act of cleansing.; Found in the poem, To Leven Water by Tobias George Smollett
Other Meanings of “lave”
Also Known As
wash bathe gently lave waters cleanse poetically
Skip to main content