Lest

v. i. To listen. [Obs.] Spenser.

[O. Eng. leste, least, from A-S. lāst, leastly, minime, but in A-S. thē lās, thē lās the, was used for quo minus, ne, lest. See LEAST.] That not; for fear that.

Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Gen. iii. 3.

Formerly often pronounced least, in accordance with one of the Old English forms of the word.