lemon

A yellow fruit with a sour taste, often used in drinks and cooking.

• Add some lemon to your tea.
• She squeezed two lemons into the bowl.
• Would you like a slice of lemon?

Common phrases: lemon juice, slice of lemon, fresh lemon

Something you buy that works badly, or a person who is disappointing or useless.

• This car is a lemon.
• We bought a lemon and spent months repairing it.
• Their new manager turned out to be a lemon.

Similar words: dud

Common phrases: buy a lemon, sell a lemon, a complete lemon

A bright, pale yellow color.

• She chose pale lemon for the walls.
• The fabric comes in lemon and cream.
• A touch of lemon brightened the design.

Similar words: lemon yellow

Common phrases: pale lemon, bright lemon, lemon and white

A helpful act, used mainly in a phrase showing that you think something is ridiculous.

• Do me a lemon! That price is ridiculous.
• You want fifty pounds? Do me a lemon!
• Do me a lemon, nobody believes that story.

Similar words: favor

Common phrases: do a lemon, do someone a lemon

To add the juice or flavor of a yellow, sour fruit to food.

• Lemon the fish before serving it.
• She lemoned the sauce to sharpen its flavor.
• You can lemon the vegetables after cooking.

Common phrases: lemon the fish, lemon the sauce