Forms: 3 lescun, 3–5 lessoun, lessun, (4 les(c)zoun, 5 lession, lessown), 4–5 lessone, 5, 7 lessen, 4– lesson. [ad. OF. lecon, F. leçon:—L. lectiōn-em, n. of action f. legĕre to read. Cf. LECTION.]
† 1. The action of reading. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus., Prol. Aftir that hymself he ȝaf more to besynesse of lessoun [L. ad diligentiam lectionis] of lawe, and of profetes.
† b. A public reading; a lecture; also, a course of lectures. Obs.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 10123, heading (Laud). Lystyn now to my lesson That wille here of the concepcion.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ii. (Paulus), 61. Ierome ws sais in his lessone þat [etc.].
a. 1470. Gregory, Chron. (Camd.), 230. Doctor Ive kepte the scolys at Poulys … and there he radde fulle nobylle lessonnys to preve that Cryste was lorde of alle.
c. 1500. in Peacock, Stat. Cambr. (1841), App. A. p. xxx. The Bedell shall fett every Inceptour in Arte to Scolys to rede his solemn Lesson.
1546. R. Smith, Def. Sacram. Altar, title-p., Reader of the Kynges Majesties Lesson in His Grace’s Universitie of Oxforde.
1599. Life More, in Wordsw., Eccl. Biog. (1853), II. 52. He red openly in St Laurence churche London, St Austin’s booke De Civitate Dei…. His lesson was much frequented.
1724. R. Wodrow, Life Jas. Wodrow (1828), 27. He waited on the divinity lessons of that great man Mr. Robert Baillie.
transf. c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 187. His wife falling to read him a loud lesson.
2. Eccl. A portion of Scripture or other sacred writing read at divine service.
Now chiefly applied to the portion of the O. T. (‘first lesson’) and to that of the N. T. (‘second lesson’) appointed in the Church of England to be read at Morning and Evening Prayer. (For proper lesson, see PROPER a.) In the technical language of ritual, the word lesson is not applied to the Gospel of the mass, but sometimes to the Epistle.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 22. Siggeð Dirige, mit þreo psalmes, & mit þreo lescuns eueriche niht sunderliche.
c. 1330. Spec. Gy Warw., 500. Þu most ben ofte in orisoun And in reding of lesczoun.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 709. Wel koude he rede a lesson or a storie.
c. 1400. Table, in Wyclif’s Bible, IV. 683. Here bigynneth a rule, that tellith in whiche chapitris of the bible ȝe mai fynde the lessouns, pistlis, and gospels, that ben rad in the chirche al the ȝeer, after the vss of Salisbire.
c. 1422. Hoccleve, Learn to Die, 925. The .ixe. lesson which is rad In holy chirche vp-on all halwen day.
1548–9. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Ord. Holy Script., The olde Testament is appoynted for the first Lessons … the newe … for the second Lessons.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 525. May it please your Maj. it is the proper lesson for the day, as appears by the Kalendar.
1802, 1865. [see LECTIONARY].
1883. Cath. Dict. (1897), 554/2. Our Breviary lessons for the first nocturn. Ibid., 555/1. Their [the Greeks’] daily offices contain no lessons from Scripture.
1895. H. Littlehales, Prymer, Pref. x. Dirige (Matins). Consisting of 3 Nocturns; each composed of:—3 Psalms … 3 Lessons.
3. A portion of a book or dictated matter, to be studied by the pupil for repetition to the teacher. Hence, something that is or is to be learnt.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 66. Eue … told hire [the serpent] al þet lescun þet God hire hefde ilered.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6859. Suilk was þi lessun and þi lare.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 422. Catun … techyþ chyldryn þys lessun, ‘Ȝeue no charge to dremys [etc.].
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 118. Furst I leornede to lyȝe a lessun or tweyne, And wikkedliche or to weie was myn oþer lessun.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 34 (83). His lesson, þat he wende konne, To preyen hire is þurgh his wit y-ronne.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, E ij b. Forrgeet not this lession for thyng that may fall.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 180. I beshrewe his herte yt taught the that lesson.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, I. i. 295. To learne Any hard Lesson that may do thee good.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 605. This Psaphon … had let them flie into the Woods, where chanting their lesson, they inchanted the rude people.
1716. Bolingbroke, Refl. Exile (1777), 352. I learned this important lesson long ago.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Helps, Helps in the manage.—To teach a horse his lessons, there are seven helps, or aids, to be known. These are the voice, rod [etc.].
1818. Byron, Ch. Har., IV. lxxv. The drill’d dull lesson, forced down word by word.
1838. G. P. R. James, Robber, iv. The mind moralised upon it, and the heart took the lesson home.
1861. J. Edmond, Childr. Ch. at Home, iii. 47. They should be industrious at their lessons.
† b. transf. Subject of discourse. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 318. Now salle we turne ageyn tille our owen lessoun.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1944. But for to telle þe atiryng of þat child … It wold lengeþ þis lessoun a ful long while.
4. A continuous portion of teaching given to a pupil or class at one time; one of the portions into which a course of instruction in any subject is divided. To give, take lessons: to give, receive systematic instruction in a specified subject. Hence occas. in textbooks, a section of such length as to be suitable to be studied continuously.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 437/216. Euereche dai bi custome he seide þis oresun, he nolde bi-leue for no scole, ne for no lessoun.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., I. (1495), 2. In the fyrste lesson that i toke thenne i lerned a. and b. And other letters by her names.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 21 June. Mr. Blagrave … did give me a lesson upon the flageolette.
1732. Lediard, Sethos, II. IX. 305. The conversation … was … not less profitable … than their lessons.
1854. Thackeray, Newcomes, I. ii. 22. A distinguished officer … engaged in London in giving private lessons on the fiddle. Ibid. Tom Newcome took no French lessons on a Sunday.
b. transf. An occurrence from which instruction may be gained; an instructive example; a rebuke or punishment calculated to prevent a repetition of the offence.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. (1590), 119 b. She woulde giue her a lesson for walking so late, that should [etc.].
1822. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. Dist. Corresp. The kangaroos … with those little short fore puds, looking like a lesson framed by nature to the pickpocket.
1850. L. Hunt, Autobiog., I. iii. 94. He [a monitor] showed me a knot in a long handkerchief, and told me I should receive a lesson from that handkerchief every day, with the addition of a fresh knot every time.
1882. J. L. Watson, Life R. S. Candlish, xiii. 140. His self-denial in the little things of daily life was a constant lesson.
1900. R. J. Drummond, Relat. Apost. Teaching, ii. 77. Christ is their Teacher. He is also their Lesson—not His words only, but His Life.
† 5. Mus. a. An exercise; a composition serving an educational purpose. b. A piece to be performed, a performance. Obs.
1593. (title) A New Booke of Citterne Lessons.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. i. 60. My Lessons make no musicke in three parts.
1622. Dekker & Massinger, Virg. Mart., I. B 3, stage direct., A lessen of Cornets.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 161. Let there be a Recorder made, with two Fipples, at each end one … and let two play the same Lesson upon it, at an Unison.
1640. Brome, Antipodes, V. ix. stage direct., A solemne lesson upon the Recorders.
1665. Charles II., in Julia Cartwright, Henrietta of Orleans (1894), 214. I have heere sent you some lessons for the guittar.
1674. Playford, Skill Mus., II. 112. Lessons for the Violin by Letters are prick’t on four lines … but Lessons by Notes are prick’d upon five Lines.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1781), VI. xviii. 76. She made Lucy give us a lesson on the harpsichord.
1811. Busby, Dict. Mus. (ed. 3), Lesson, a word formerly used by most composers to signify those exercises for the harpsichord or piano-forte which are now more generally called sonatas. The length, variety, and style of Lessons … entirely depend on the fancy and abilities of the composer, and the class of practitioners for whose use the pieces are designed.
6. attrib. and Comb., as lesson-book, -hour, -money; lesson-piece, a piece of material on which to practise needlework.
1863. W. G. Blackie, Better Days Wrkng. People, i. (1864), 25. Superior *lesson-books.
1890. ‘L. Falconer,’ M’lle. Ixe, i. 24. Her *lesson-hour was not till the afternoon.
1847. Medwin, Life Shelley, II. 59. Receiving … part of the *lesson money.
1880. Plain Hints Needlework, 36. Let each child work a … button-hole on her *lesson-piece in blue cotton.
