Talk:lessen

RFV discussion: January–March 2021

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lessen

A new addition: "(nonstandard) in case". Equinox ◑ 06:45, 27 January 2021 (UTC)

In the episode “Ourselves Alone” of Boardwalk Empire, a character (I think Chalky, a jailed black gangster) says: “Ain’t a one of them pikers got it in him to make a squeal lessen he be put up to it.”^[1] It could mean “in case” here, but “unless” seems more likely (“They won’t snitch unless forced”). In a rare use here in a text written in standard English – but possibly representing reported speech (“His daughter ... knows they never will be happy lessen he do”) of a character in what is billed as “the first all-Negro musical Western” – it seems to mean “unless”. That is also the case in the dialogue reported here, uttered by a black character. This index to a Gullah corpus shows some uses of lessen as a conjunction (at the end of the file). Although there is not enough context to be sure of the meaning in these phrases seen in isolation, all other terms and phrases in the file carry a sense of “unless”.  --Lambiam 13:52, 27 January 2021 (UTC)

Can it ever mean "lest"? I think of it sometimes being used that way, but have no supporting evidence yet. DCDuring (talk) 14:51, 27 January 2021 (UTC)

I see. So probably from "unless and" (see the regional etc. senses of and conjunction). Equinox ◑ 15:11, 27 January 2021 (UTC)

For the sake of clarity: the citations do not verify the challenged sense.  --Lambiam 15:31, 29 January 2021 (UTC)

DARE has the following definitions for lessen:

1. Unless [well attested]
2. Lest, for fear that [only one cite]
3. Except [only one cite]
4. Smaller of [only one cite]

Their extensive surveys did not encounter "in case". DCDuring (talk) 00:26, 30 January 2021 (UTC)

RFV-failed Kiwima (talk) 00:55, 9 March 2021 (UTC)