# lesson

/ˈɫɛsən/ (US) · /lˈɛsən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lesson
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. something learned from experience

noun · CEFR B1

an experience that teaches you how to behave or what to do in the future.

For teachers: a principle or piece of wisdom acquired through experience, often involving a mistake or a hardship.

- Losing his job was a hard lesson, but it taught him to save money.
- The financial crisis served as a painful lesson for investors who had ignored the risks of the housing market bubble.

### 3. a warning or punishment

noun · CEFR B2

an experience that acts as a warning to you or others.

For teachers: an occurrence that serves as a deterrent or a corrective example to others.

- The judge gave the thief a long sentence to teach him a lesson.
- The heavy fine was intended to teach the corporation a lesson about violating environmental safety regulations.

### 4. religious reading

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a passage from the Bible or another holy book read during a church service.

For teachers: a portion of Scripture or other religious text appointed to be read at a divine service.

- The young man stood up to read the first lesson during the morning service.
- The vicar selected a lesson from the Old Testament that mirrored the themes of the upcoming festival.

### 5. to teach or scold

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to teach someone or to tell them off for doing something wrong.

For teachers: to instruct or to rebuke someone. This usage is rare in modern speech.

- The old master would lesson his students for hours on the importance of patience.
- He sought to lesson the boy in the ways of the court, though his efforts were met with stubborn resistance.

## Examples

- I have a piano lesson every Tuesday afternoon.
- The music teacher prepared a special lesson to help the students understand complex rhythms.
- While the technical exercises were demanding, the most valuable lesson the young violinist learned was the importance of emotional expression during a live performance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.