# lime
## English
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /laɪm/
* Audio (Southern England):(file)
* Rhymes: -aɪm

### Etymology 1

From Middle English lyme, lym, lime, from Old English līm, from Proto-West Germanic *līm, from Proto-Germanic *līmaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyH- (“to smear”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Liem (“glue”), Dutch lijm, German Leim (“glue”), Danish lim (from Old Norse lím), Latin limus (“mud”).

#### Noun

lime (countable and uncountable, plural limes)
* (chemistry) Any inorganic material containing calcium, usually calcium oxide (quicklime) or calcium hydroxide (slaked lime).
** 1952, L.F. Salzman, Building in England, page 149:Lime, which is the product of the burning of chalk or limestone, might be bought ready burnt, or it could be burnt in kilns specially constructed in the neighbourhood of the building operations.
* (poetic) Any gluey or adhesive substance; something which traps or captures someone; sometimes a synonym for birdlime.
** 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and away with the rest.
** 1835, William Wordsworth, They called Thee Merry England, in old time [first line of unnamed poem]:Like the lime which foolish birds are caught with.
* (theater) A spotlight.
** 1980, Peter Evans, Peter Sellers: The Mask Behind the Mask, page 30:Sellers moved on until he was actually trusted to operate the limes, the spotlights that can make or destroy an artist's act.
** 2018, Robert Charles Hines, Twists and Turns: 13 Tales of the Uneasy, page 121:Then out of the blue, a spotlight much like the “limes” in a theatre, lit up what seemed like a Punch and Judy tent […] He struggled even more, when from out of the shadows and into the bright light of the limes, stepped Uncle Jolly.

##### Derived terms

* acid lime
* birdlime
* carbonate of lime
* caustic lime
* chloride of lime
* chlorinated lime
* cream of lime
* delime
* hydraulic lime
* Jew's lime
* lime-ash
* lime burning
* Limedale
* lime-fingered
* lime kiln
* limekiln
* limelight
* limelighter
* lime mortar
* lime pit
* limescale
* limestone
* lime sulfur
* lime-twig
* lime-twigged
* limewater
* limeworking
* milk of lime
* nitrolime
* pickling lime
* quicklime
* shell lime
* slaked lime
* soda lime
* soda-lime
* soda-lime glass
* tobacco lime
* unslaked lime
* white lime

##### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

##### See also

* asbestos
* calcareous
* calcify
* calcine
* calcium
* calcium hydroxide
* calcspar
* calc-tufa
* calculus
* calx
* chalk

#### Verb

lime (third-person singular simple present limes, present participle liming, simple past and past participle limed)
* (transitive) To treat with calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide (lime).
** 1917, Rudyard Kipling, The Land:If I were you, I'd lime.
* (transitive) To smear with birdlime.
** (rare) To ensnare, catch, entrap.
*** 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:URSULA. She's lim'd, I warrant you: we have caught her, madam. HERO. If it prove so, then loving goes by haps: Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.
*** 1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 39:Abraham, like his parents, seemed to have been limed and caught by the ensnaring inn.
* (transitive) To apply limewash.

##### Translations
### Etymology 2

Lime (17th c.) and line (16th c.) are alterations of obsolete lind, from Middle English lynde, from Old English lind, from Proto-Germanic *lindijō. The phonetic development is unusual, but it has been suggested that it began in compounds (loss of -d- perhaps before tree, the change to -m- before labials as in bark or wood). Doublet of linden, which see.

#### Noun

lime (countable and uncountable, plural limes)
* A deciduous tree of the genus Tilia, especially Tilia × europaea; the linden tree.
** 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 158:The linden or lime tree is the favourite haunt of the Elves and cognate beings; and it is not safe to be near it after sunset.
** 1871, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter III, in Middlemarch […], volume I, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book I, page 38:But there was nothing of an ascetic's expression in her bright full eyes, as she looked before her, not consciously seeing, but absorbing into the intensity of her mood, the solemn glory of the afternoon with its long swathes of light between the far-off rows of limes, whose shadows touched each other.
* The wood of this tree.

##### Usage notes

* Both this and the citrus are trees having fragrant flowers, but this is more temperate and the citrus is more tropical and subtropical. Outside of Europe and adjoining parts of Asia, the citrus sense is much more common.

##### Derived terms

* American lime (Tilia americana)
* blood lime
* broad-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos)
* brooklime (Veronica spp.)
* lime green
* lime tree looper (Erannis tiliaria)
* Ogeechee lime
* Philippine lime
* silver lime (Tilia tomentosa)
* Sylhet lime

##### Related terms

* linden

##### Translations
### Etymology 3

From French lime, from Spanish lima, from Arabic لِيمَة (līma), from Persian لیمو (limu). Doublet of lemon.

#### Noun

lime (countable and uncountable, plural limes)
* Any of several green citrus fruit, somewhat smaller and sharper-tasting than a lemon.
* Any of the trees that bear limes, especially Key lime, Citrus aurantiifolia.
* (uncountable) A brilliant, sometimes yellowish, green colour associated with the fruits of a lime tree.
    lime:
    web lime:
* (fandom slang) A fan fiction story which contains sexual references, but stops short of full, explicit descriptions of sexual activity (coined by analogy with lemon).
** 1998 June 8, Gary Kleppe, “[Ranma][Fanfic] Tangled Web”, in rec.arts.anime.creative‎ (Usenet):WARNING: This is a lime. While it does not show explicit sex, as a lemon would, references to sexual situations abound.
** 1998 December 29, jiml...@earthlink.net, “[EVA][FanFic][Lemon] Garden of EVA 0:6x - Wet Dreams Bite!”, in rec.arts.anime.creative‎ (Usenet):Even with all the sex in Garden of EVA, I still think the main stories are better for just being the lemon-scented limes that they are.
** 2001 November 27, Schemer, “[Ranma/SF][FanFic] A Learning Experience - Chapter 01”, in rec.arts.anime.creative‎ (Usenet):I have no intention of writing any lemon scenes, limes are possibilities but unlikely and if they occur they will be few in number.

##### Usage notes

* Both this and the linden are trees with fragrant flowers, but the linden is more temperate and this is more tropical and subtropical. Outside of Europe and adjoining parts of Asia, this sense is much more common.

##### Hypernyms

* fruit
** citrus

##### Derived terms

* Australian desert-lime (Citrus glauca)
* Australian finger-lime (Citrus australasica)
* Australian lime (Citrus glauca, C. australasica, C. australis)
* caviar lime (Citrus australasica)
* desert lime (Citrus glauca)
* finger lime (Citrus australasica)
* Indian sweet lime
* kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix)
* Key lime (Citrus × aurantifolia)
* Key lime pie
* lemon and lime
* lemon lime
* lemon-lime
* limeade
* lime butterfly
* lime disease
* lime-green
* lime juice
* lime-juicer
* limequat (Citrus × floridana)
* lime rickey
* limey
* makrut lime
* Mandarin lime (Citrus limonia)
* musk lime (Citrus × microcarpa, syn. ×Citrofortunella mitis)
* Palestinian sweet lime
* Persian lime (Citrus × latifolia)
* Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia)
* Spanish lime (Melicoccus bijugatus)
* sweet lime (Citrus limettioides)
* Tahiti lime (Citrus latifolia)
* Thai lime (Citrus hystrix)
* wild lime (Adelia ricinella, (Zanthoxylum fagara)

##### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

##### See also

* fur up
* gimlet
* lemon
* plaster
* sour
* Appendix:Colors
Colors/Colours in English (layout · text) :
| red | orange | yellow | green | blue (incl. indigo; cyan, teal, turquoise) | purple / violet |
| pink (including magenta) | brown | | white | gray/grey | black |

#### Adjective

lime (not comparable)
* Containing lime or lime juice.
* Having the aroma or flavor of lime.
* Lime-green.

##### Translations
### Etymology 4

* A user suggests that this English entry be moved, merged or split.
* Please see the discussion on Requests for moves, mergers and splits or the talk page for more information and remove this template after the request has been fulfilled.
Either a back-formation of limer or from the derogatory term limey, a term first given to British soldiers but also used by Trinidadians for American soldiers who used to hang out idle in Port of Spain during World War 2.

#### Verb

lime (third-person singular simple present limes, present participle liming, simple past and past participle limed)
* (Caribbean, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, informal) To hang out or socialize in an informal, relaxed environment, especially with friends, for example at a party or on the beach.

#### Noun

lime (plural limes)
* (Caribbean, Trinidad & Tobago) A casual gathering to socialize.

### Etymology 5
#### Noun

lime (plural limes)
* Alternative form of lyam (“a leash”)

##### Derived terms

* limehound

### Anagrams

* Emil, Elmi, mile, elim, Elim, Liem, Lemi, Meli, Imel, Mile

## Bakumpai
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *lima.

### Numeral

lime
* five

## Danish
### Etymology 1

From English lime.

#### Noun

lime c (singular definite limen, plural indefinite lime or limes)
* lime (fruit)

##### Inflection
### Etymology 2

From the noun lim (“glue”).

#### Verb

lime (imperative lim, infinitive at lime, present tense limer, past tense limede, perfect tense har limet)
* to glue

## Fataluku
### Numeral

lime
* five

## Finnish
### Etymology

From English lime.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈlime/, [ˈlime̞]
* IPA: /ˈlɑi̯m/, [ˈlɑ̝i̯m]
* Rhymes: -ime
* Hyphenation: li‧me

### Noun

lime
* (proscribed) lime (citrus tree and its fruit)
    Synonym: limetti
* lime or lemon juice as part of a cocktail

#### Declension

Possessive forms of lime (Kotus type 8/nalle, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
limeni
limeni
accusative
nom.
limeni
limeni
gen.
limeni
genitive
limeni
limejeni limeini $^{rare}$
partitive
limeäni
limejäni
inessive
limessäni
limeissäni
elative
limestäni
limeistäni
illative
limeeni
limeihini
adessive
limelläni
limeilläni
ablative
limeltäni
limeiltäni
allative
limelleni
limeilleni
essive
limenäni
limeinäni
translative
limekseni
limeikseni
abessive
limettäni
limeittäni
instructive
comitative
—limeineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
limesi
limesi
accusative
nom.
limesi
limesi
gen.
limesi
genitive
limesi
limejesi limeisi $^{rare}$
partitive
limeäsi
limejäsi
inessive
limessäsi
limeissäsi
elative
limestäsi
limeistäsi
illative
limeesi
limeihisi
adessive
limelläsi
limeilläsi
ablative
limeltäsi
limeiltäsi
allative
limellesi
limeillesi
essive
limenäsi
limeinäsi
translative
limeksesi
limeiksesi
abessive
limettäsi
limeittäsi
instructive
comitative
—limeinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
limemme
limemme
accusative
nom.
limemme
limemme
gen.
limemme
genitive
limemme
limejemme limeimme $^{rare}$
partitive
limeämme
limejämme
inessive
limessämme
limeissämme
elative
limestämme
limeistämme
illative
limeemme
limeihimme
adessive
limellämme
limeillämme
ablative
limeltämme
limeiltämme
allative
limellemme
limeillemme
essive
limenämme
limeinämme
translative
limeksemme
limeiksemme
abessive
limettämme
limeittämme
instructive
comitative
—limeinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
limenne
limenne
accusative
nom.
limenne
limenne
gen.
limenne
genitive
limenne
limejenne limeinne $^{rare}$
partitive
limeänne
limejänne
inessive
limessänne
limeissänne
elative
limestänne
limeistänne
illative
limeenne
limeihinne
adessive
limellänne
limeillänne
ablative
limeltänne
limeiltänne
allative
limellenne
limeillenne
essive
limenänne
limeinänne
translative
limeksenne
limeiksenne
abessive
limettänne
limeittänne
instructive
comitative
—limeinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
limensä
limensä
accusative
nom.
limensä
limensä
gen.
limensä
genitive
limensä
limejensä limeinsä $^{rare}$
partitive
limeään limeänsä
limejään limejänsä
inessive
limessään limessänsä
limeissään limeissänsä
elative
limestään limestänsä
limeistään limeistänsä
illative
limeensä
limeihinsä
adessive
limellään limellänsä
limeillään limeillänsä
ablative
limeltään limeltänsä
limeiltään limeiltänsä
allative
limelleen limellensä
limeilleen limeillensä
essive
limenään limenänsä
limeinään limeinänsä
translative
limekseen limeksensä
limeikseen limeiksensä
abessive
limettään limettänsä
limeittään limeittänsä
instructive
comitative
—limeineen limeinensä :

#### Derived terms

* limenvihreä
* vodkalime

### Further reading

* “lime”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-03

### Anagrams

* Lemi, ilme, miel.

## French
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /lim/
* Audio; “une lime”:(file)
* Rhymes: -im

### Etymology 1

From Latin līma.

#### Noun

lime f (plural limes)
* file (tool)

##### Derived terms

* lime à ongles
* limer

### Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish lima, from Arabic لِيمَة (līma).

#### Noun

lime f (plural limes)
* lime (fruit, tree)
    Synonym: limette

### Further reading

* “lime”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

### Anagrams

* miel, mile

## Galician
### Verb

lime
* inflection of limar:
** first/third-person singular present subjunctive
** third-person singular imperative

## Italian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈli.me/
* Rhymes: -ime
* Hyphenation: lì‧me

### Etymology 1
#### Noun

lime f pl
* plural of lima

### Etymology 2

Borrowed from English lime.

#### Noun

lime m (invariable)
* lime (citrus tree)

### Anagrams

* elmi, meli

## Jamaican Creole
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈlaɪm/
* Hyphenation: lime

### Noun

lime (plural lime dem, quantified lime)
* lime (small green citrus fruit)
    It sour like lime. ― It's as sour as a lime.
    When the virus get drastic, mi a guh draw fi mi garlic and lime.When the virus gets worse, I'm going to start taking garlic and lime.
* hangout, get-together (social gathering)

### Verb

lime
* hang out
* dawdle, idle

### Further reading

* Richard Allsopp, editor (1996), Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 348

## Latin
### Pronunciation

* (Classical Latin) IPA: /ˈliː.me/, [ˈlʲiːmɛ]
* (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA: /ˈli.me/, [ˈliːme]

### Noun

līme
* vocative singular of līmus

## Middle English
### Etymology 1
#### Noun

lime
* Alternative form of lym (“quicklime”)

### Etymology 2
#### Noun

lime
* Alternative form of lyme (“limb”)

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology 1

From Persian لیمو (limu), via Arabic لِيمَة (līma), Spanish lima, and English lime.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /laɪm/

#### Noun

lime m (definite singular limen, indefinite plural limer, definite plural limene)
* a lime (citrus fruit)

### Etymology 2

From Old Norse líma.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /liːmə/

#### Verb

lime (imperative lim, present tense limer, passive limes, simple past lima or limet or limte, past participle lima or limet or limt, present participle limende)
* to glue or paste (something)

##### Related terms

* lim (noun)

### References

* “lime” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology 1

From Old Norse líma.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /²liːmə/

#### Verb

lime (present tense limer, past tense limde/limte, past participle limt, passive infinitive limast, present participle limande, imperative lim)
* (transitive) to glue

##### Alternative forms

* lima (a-infinitive)

##### Derived terms

* liming f

##### Related terms

* lim n

### Etymology 2

Borrowed from English lime. From Persian لیمو (limu), via Arabic لِيمَة (līma).

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /lɑɪ̯m/

#### Noun

lime m (definite singular limen, indefinite plural limar, definite plural limane)
* (citrus fruit) a lime
* (usually uncountable) lime juice

##### Synonyms

* (citrus fruit): limett

##### Derived terms

* limejuice

### Etymology 3

From Old Norse lími.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /²liːmə/

#### Noun

lime m (definite singular limen, indefinite plural limar, definite plural limane)
* a besom, broom

##### Derived terms

* sopelime m

### References

* “lime” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

### Anagrams

* meil, mile

## Old English
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈli.me/
* IPA: /ˈliː.me/

### Noun

lime
* dative singular of lim

### Noun

līme
* dative singular of līm

## Portuguese
### Verb

lime
* inflection of limar:
** first/third-person singular present subjunctive
** third-person singular imperative

## Spanish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈlime/ [ˈli.me]
* Rhymes: -ime
* Syllabification: li‧me

### Verb

lime
* inflection of limar:
** first/third-person singular present subjunctive
** third-person singular imperative

### Anagrams

* miel

## Swedish
### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Noun

lime c
* a lime (fruit)
    Synonym: limefrukt
* lime juice
    Synonym: limejuice

#### See also

* kalk

### References

* lime in Svensk ordbok (SO)
* lime in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
* lime in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

## Yakan
### Numeral

lime
* five