lesson
[noun]
Synonyms:
- class, coaching, instruction, period, schooling, teaching, tutoring
- example, deterrent, message, moral

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

les‧son S2 W3 /ˈlesən/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: leçon, from Latin lectio 'act of reading', from legere; ⇒ legend]

1. LEARNING A SKILL a period of time in which someone is taught a particular skill, for example how to play a musical instrument or drive a car:
piano lessons
have/take lessons
She’s started taking driving lessons.
lesson in/on
lessons in First Aid
lessons in road safety

2. IN SCHOOL British English a period of time in which school students are taught a particular subject Synonym : class American English:
Lessons start at 9 o'clock.
French/physics/art etc lesson
I’ve got a double maths lesson next.
lesson in/on
Andrew gives private lessons in Spanish.

3. EXPERIENCE something that provides experience or information that you can learn from and use
learn a lesson (=gain useful experience or information)
There were important lessons to be learned from these discoveries.
The government has failed to learn the lessons of history.
lesson to
The men’s courage and faith is a lesson to us all.
Now let that be a lesson to you all (=be careful to avoid having the same bad experience again).
Her fate should be a salutary lesson (=one that teaches or warns you about something).

4. BOOK a part of a book that is used for learning a particular subject, especially in school:
Turn to lesson 25.

5. CHURCH a short piece that is read from the Bible during a religious ceremony
⇒ somebody has learned their lesson at learn(5), ⇒ teach somebody a lesson at teach(6)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

lesson
noun
I. period of teaching or learning
ADJ. good, interesting | boring | individual | private | driving, English, geography, maths, piano, swimming, etc.
VERB + LESSON attend, go to, have, take I go to Italian lessons at the local college. We had a history lesson followed by a double maths lesson. I'm taking driving lessons at the moment.
give (sb), offer (sb), provide, take, teach She gives singing lessons. They're offering free lessons in computing. I had to take a biology lesson this afternoon because the biology teacher was away. He doesn't teach very many lessons these days.
get Pupils get lessons on how to organize their study time.
prepare The trouble is that teachers don't prepare their lessons carefully enough.
skip He got into trouble for skipping lessons.
PREP. during a/the ~ No talking was allowed during the lesson.
in a/the ~ You can't expect to learn all there is to know about the subject in a 45-minute lesson.
~ about a lesson about the Civil War
~ in He took lessons in Thai cookery.
~ on a lesson on the Roman Empire
~ with They've got a lesson with Mrs Evans at two o'clock.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

lesson
II. sth learnt through experience
ADJ. important, salutary, useful, valuable | bitter, hard, painful It's a hard lesson to learn.
clear
VERB + LESSON draw, learn What lessons can we draw from this unfortunate experience?
teach sb It taught me some valuable lessons about working with other people.
PREP. ~ from There are important lessons to be learnt from this mistake.
~ in I learned a lesson in harsh economics when I was made redundant.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

lesson

take lessons
He started taking piano lessons at age four.
have lessons
I have swimming lessons on Friday.
go to a lesson (also attend a lesson formal)
I have to go to my French lesson now.
give lessons (=teach lessons)
She made a living giving private lessons in English.
prepare a lesson
The teachers spend a long time preparing their lessons.
a history/physics/maths etc lesson
I've got a history lesson this afternoon.
a driving/swimming etc lesson
Dad said he'd pay for driving lessons as my birthday present.
a piano/guitar etc lesson
I'd just started classical guitar lessons.
a private lesson (=a lesson specially for one person rather than for a class)
He gave private lessons in mathematics at the weekends.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

lesson
noun
1.
BAD: I've been studying my lessons very hard.
GOOD: I've been studying very hard.
BAD: After studying my lessons, I watched T.V.
GOOD: After doing my homework/the exercises, I watched T.V.

Usage Note:
When you mean 'do work that has been set by a teacher', use study, do your homework or do an exercise (NOT study a lesson ): 'I spent the whole evening studying.' 'Mrs Potts gave us three exercises to do for tomorrow.'

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2.
BAD: After lunch we're doing a history lesson.
GOOD: After lunch we're having a history lesson.
BAD: I follow lessons on Thursdays and Fridays.
GOOD: I have lessons on Thursdays and Fridays.
BAD: I've started to do lessons in English and French.
GOOD: I've started to have/take lessons in English and French.

Usage Note:
have a lesson (NOT do/follow ): 'I didn't go into the classroom because the children were having a lesson.'
have/take lessons (= arrange for someone to teach you): 'If you want to improve your English, you should have/take lessons.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

lesson
ˈlesn
See: teach a lesson

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲