Definition

1. Noun:
   • A grassy field: An open area of land covered with grass or herbage, typically used for grazing livestock.
   • A unit of length: A measure used in the textile industry for thread or yarn, with varying lengths historically (e.g., 80 to 300 yards).

Examples

• Noun (Grassy Field):
  • The shepherd led his flock to the green lea.
  • Cows were peacefully grazing on the sunlit lea.
• Noun (Unit of Length):
  • The weaver measured out a lea of linen thread.
  • This yarn is sold by the lea.

Advanced Usage

• Poetic/Literary Use: The word "lea" is often used in poetry and literary contexts to evoke a pastoral, idyllic, or rustic scene.
  • "O'er the hills and far away, across the endless lea."

Variants and Related Words

• Leasow (noun, archaic): A pasture or meadow.
• Lea-rig (noun, Scottish): A strip of meadow or pasture land.

Synonyms

• Meadow: A piece of grassland, especially one used for hay.
• Pasture: Land covered with grass suitable for grazing animals.
• Field: An area of open land, especially one planted with crops or pasture.

Different Meanings

• Lea as a given name: A feminine given name, often a short form of names like Leah or Leanne, unrelated to the noun definitions.
  • Lea is a talented artist.

Noun

1. a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock
2. a unit of length of thread or yarn