lists

[lists] /lɪsts/
noun, (used with a singular or plural verb)
1.
an enclosed arena for a tilting contest.
2.
the barriers enclosing this arena.
3.
any place or scene of combat, competition, controversy, etc.
Idioms
4.
enter the lists, to involve oneself in a conflict or contest:
to enter the lists against the protective tariff.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English listes, plural of liste list2

list1

[list] /lɪst/
noun
1.
a series of names or other items written or printed together in a meaningful grouping or sequence so as to constitute a record:
a list of members.
2.
list price.
3.
Computers. a series of records in a file.
4.
a complete record of stocks handled by a stock exchange.
5.
all of the books of a publisher that are available for sale.
6.
Digital Technology, listserv:
Please unsubscribe me from the list.
verb (used with object)
7.
to set down together in a list; make a list of:
to list the membership of a club.
8.
to enter in a list, directory, catalog, etc.:
to list him among the members.
9.
to place on a list of persons to be watched, excluded, restricted, etc.
10.
Computers. to print or display in a list:
Let's list the whole program and see where the bug is.
11.
to register (a security) on a stock exchange so that it may be traded there.
12.
Archaic. enlist.
verb (used without object)
13.
to be offered for sale, as in a catalog, at a specified price:
This radio lists at $49.95.
14.
Archaic. enlist.
Origin
1595-1605; special use of list2 (roll of names, perhaps orig. of contestants in the lists); compare French liste < Italian lista roll of names, earlier, band, strip (e.g., of paper), border < Old High German (German Leiste)
Synonyms
1. register. List, catalog, inventory, roll, schedule imply a definite arrangement of items. List denotes a series of names, items, or figures arranged in a row or rows: a list of groceries. Catalog adds the idea of alphabetical or other orderly arrangement, and, often, descriptive particulars and details: a library catalog. An inventory is a detailed descriptive list of property, stock, goods, or the like made for legal or business purposes: a store inventory. A roll is a list of names of members of some defined group often used to ascertain their presence or absence: a class roll. A schedule is a methodical (especially official) list, often indicating the time or sequence of certain events: a train schedule. 7. record, catalog. 8. enroll.

list2

[list] /lɪst/
noun
1.
a border or bordering strip, usually of cloth.
2.
a selvage.
3.
selvages collectively.
4.
a strip of cloth or other material.
5.
a strip or band of any kind.
6.
a stripe of color.
7.
a division of the hair or beard.
8.
one of the ridges or furrows of earth made by a lister.
9.
a strip of material, as bark or sapwood, to be trimmed from a board.
10.
fillet (def 6a).
adjective
11.
made of selvages or strips of cloth.
verb (used with object)
12.
to produce furrows and ridges on (land) with a lister.
13.
to prepare (ground) for planting by making ridges and furrows.
14.
to cut away a narrow strip of wood from the edge of (a stave, plank, etc.).
15.
Obsolete. to apply a border or edge to.
Origin
before 900; Middle English lista, Old English līst border; cognate with Dutch lijst, German Leiste (Old High German līsta)

list3

[list] /lɪst/
noun
1.
a careening, or leaning to one side, as of a ship.
verb (used without object)
2.
(of a ship or boat) to incline to one side; careen:
The ship listed to starboard.
verb (used with object)
3.
to cause (a vessel) to incline to one side:
The shifting of the cargo listed the ship to starboard.
Origin
1620-30; origin uncertain
Synonyms
2, 3. tilt, slant, heel.

list4

[list] /lɪst/
verb (used with object)
1.
to please.
2.
to like or desire.
verb (used without object)
3.
to like; wish; choose.
Origin
before 900; Middle English listen, lusten, Old English (ge)lystan to please; cognate with German gelüsten, Old Norse lysta to desire, akin to Gothic lustōn to desire. See lust

list5

[list] /lɪst/
verb (used without object)
1.
to listen.
verb (used with object)
2.
to listen to.
Origin
before 900; Middle English listen, Old English hlystan to listen, hear, derivative of hlyst ear; cognate with Swedish lysta; akin to Old Norse hlusta to listen. See listen
Examples from the web for lists
  • Each organization lists plants meeting stringent performance standards.
  • And backyard beekeeping is so popular that local bee guilds have waiting lists hundreds of names long.
  • In each of the foregoing lists an effort has been made to exclude all items of doubtful authenticity.
  • Today's military reading lists have a more pragmatic bent.
  • She was not pleased and made sure he knew it, loading him up with shopping lists and resentment.
  • Sixty per cent of seats will be elected via closed party lists on a proportional-representation system.
  • For a while he had topped all his friends' buddy lists by managing a chain of go-go clubs.
  • And indeed people had done exactly that, especially ten years ago when the century turned: see representative lists here and here.
  • They seem to have based their tests on manufacturer ingredient lists and known tobacco carcinogens.
  • Indeed, by now lists of facts about the amazing reach of our language may have begun to sound awfully familiar.
British Dictionary definitions for lists

lists

/lɪsts/
plural noun
1.
(history)
  1. the enclosed field of combat at a tournament
  2. the barriers enclosing the field at a tournament
2.
any arena or scene of conflict, controversy, etc
3.
enter the lists, to engage in a conflict, controversy, etc
Word Origin
C14: plural of list² (border, boundary)

list1

/lɪst/
noun
1.
an item-by-item record of names or things, usually written or printed one under the other
2.
(computing) a linearly ordered data structure
3.
be on the danger list, to be in a critical medical or physical condition
verb
4.
(transitive) to make a list of
5.
(transitive) to include in a list
6.
(transitive) (Brit) to declare to be a listed building
7.
(transitive) (stock exchange) to obtain an official quotation for (a security) so that it may be traded on the recognized market
8.
an archaic word for enlist
Derived Forms
listable, adjective
Word Origin
C17: from French, ultimately related to list²; compare Italian lista list of names (earlier: border, strip, as of paper), Old High German līsta border

list2

/lɪst/
verb
1.
(esp of ships) to lean over or cause to lean over to one side
noun
2.
the act or an instance of leaning to one side
Word Origin
C17: origin unknown

list3

/lɪst/
noun
1.
a border or edging strip, esp of cloth
2.
a less common word for selvage
3.
a strip of bark, sapwood, etc, trimmed from a board or plank
4.
another word for fillet (sense 8)
5.
a strip, band, ridge or furrow
6.
(agriculture) a ridge in ploughed land formed by throwing two furrows together
verb (transitive)
7.
to border with or as if with a list or lists
8.
(agriculture) to plough (land) so as to form lists
9.
to cut a list from (a board, plank, etc)
See also lists
Word Origin
Old English līst; related to Old High German līsta

list4

/lɪst/
verb
1.
to be pleasing to (a person)
2.
(transitive) to desire or choose
noun
3.
a liking or desire
Word Origin
Old English lystan; related to Old High German lusten and Gothic lūston to desire

list5

/lɪst/
verb
1.
an archaic or poetic word for listen
Word Origin
Old English hlystan; related to Old Norse hlusta
Word Origin and History for lists

list

n.

"catalogue consisting of names in a row or series," c.1600, from Middle English liste "border, edging, stripe" (late 13c.), from Old French liste "border, band, row, group," also "strip of paper," or from Old Italian lista "border, strip of paper, list," both from a Germanic source (cf. Old High German lista "strip, border, list," Old Norse lista "border, selvage," Old English liste "border"), from Proto-Germanic *liston, from PIE *leizd- "border, band." The sense of "enumeration" is from strips of paper used as a sort of catalogue.

"a narrow strip," Old English liste "border, hem, edge, strip," from Proto-Germanic *liston (cf. Old High German lista "strip, border, list," Old Norse lista "border, selvage,"German leiste), from PIE *leizd- "border, band" (see list (n.1)). The Germanic root also is the source of French liste, Italian lista. This was the source of archaic lists "place of combat," originally at the boundary of fields.

v.

"tilt, lean," especially of a ship, 1880, earlier (1620s) lust, of unknown origin, perhaps an unexplained spelling variant of Middle English lysten "to please, desire, wish, like" (see list (v.4)) with a sense development from the notion of "leaning" toward what one desires (cf. incline). Related: Listed; listing. The noun in this sense is from 1630s.

"hear, hearken," now poetic or obsolete, from Old English hlystan "hear, hearken," from hlyst "hearing," from Proto-Germanic *khlustiz, from PIE *kleu- "to hear" (see listen). Related: Listed; listing.

"to put down in a list; to make a list of," 1610s, from list (n.1). Meaning "to place real estate on the market" is from 1904. Attested from c.1300 as "put an edge around," from list (n.2). Related: Listed; listing.

"to be pleased, desire" (archaic), mid-12c., lusten, listen "to please, desire," from Old English lystan "to please, cause pleasure or desire, provoke longing," from Proto-Germanic *lustijan (cf. Old Saxon lustian, Dutch lusten "to like, fancy," Old High German lusten, German lüsten, Old Norse lysta); from the root of lust (n.). Related: Listed; listing. As a noun, c.1200, from the verb. Somehow English has lost listy (adj.) "pleasant, willing (to do something); ready, quick" (mid-15c.).

Slang definitions & phrases for lists

list

Related Terms

hit list, shit list, sucker list, wish list


lists in Technology


list

Idioms and Phrases with lists

list

see: