leer

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /lɪə/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /lɪr/

• Audio (UK)

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• Audio (US)

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Verb

Plain form leer

Third-person singular leers

Past tense leered

Past participle leered

Present participle leering

1. (intransitive) When you leer at someone, you look at them in a rude, sometimes threatening way. The word leer usually describes men looking at women in a sexual way that is not respectful.

   She stopped using the public pool because of the way people leered at her when she was in her swimsuit.

   Their bosses warned the female prison guards that they would have to deal with the male prisoners leering at them.

Noun

Singular leer

Plural leers

1. A leer is a rude, threatening, sometimes sexual stare.

   He had a terrifying leer that made me afraid about what he might do.