Old English lēah; related to German dialect loh thicket
lea in British English2
(liː)
noun
1.
a unit for measuring lengths of yarn, usually taken as 80 yards for wool, 120 yards for cotton and silk, and 300 yards for linen
2.
a measure of yarn expressed as the length per unit weight, usually the number of leas per pound
Word origin
C14: of uncertain origin
LEA in British English
abbreviation for(in Britain)
Local Education Authority
lea in American English1
(li)
noun
1. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic
a meadow or grassy field
2.
ley (sense 2)
Word origin
ME leye < OE leah, orig., open ground in a wood, akin to Du -loo (in Waterloo, Ger -loh, grove < IE base *leuk-, to light > light1 & L lucus, grove, orig., clearing, glade
lea in American English2
(li)
noun
a measure of yarn varying from 80 to 300 yards, according to the kind of yarn (usually 80 yards for wool, 120 yards for silk and cotton, 300 yards forlinen)
Word origin
ME lee, prob. taken as sing. of leese < OFr lesse: see leash
Examples of 'lea' in a sentence
lea
In the lea of the building he came back, pushed open the unlatched door and went softly upstairs.
Curzon, Clare THE QUEST FOR K (2003)
The Sûreté was the lea st secure organization of its kind in the world.
Brierley, David SKORPION'S DEATH (2003)
A white-masted yacht flying the American flag had emerged from the smoke that drifted over the water in the lea of the island.
Ballard, J. G. RUSHING TO PARADISE (2003)
A low mist clung to the sleeping bodies surrounding her at intervals across the lea.