Lee, n.; pl. Lees That which settles at the bottom, as of a cask of liquor (esp. wine); sediment; dregs; -- used now only in the plural. [Lees occurs also as a form of the singular.] “The lees of wine.”
A thousand demons lurk within the lee. --Young.
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
Is left this vault to brag of. --Shak.
Lees n. pl. Dregs. See 2d Lee.
lees
n : the sediment from fermentation of an alcoholic beverage
Lees
(Heb. shemarim), from a word meaning to keep or preserve. It was
applied to "lees" from the custom of allowing wine to stand on
the lees that it might thereby be better preserved (Isa. 25:6).
"Men settled on their lees" (Zeph. 1:12) are men "hardened or
crusted." The image is derived from the crust formed at the
bottom of wines long left undisturbed (Jer. 48:11). The effect
of wealthy undisturbed ease on the ungodly is hardening. They
become stupidly secure (comp. Ps. 55:19; Amos 6:1). To drink the
lees (Ps. 75:8) denotes severe suffering.