lea 1
/lee, lay/ , n.
1. a tract of open ground, esp. grassland; meadow.
2. land used for a few years for pasture or for growing hay, then plowed over and replaced by another crop.
3. a crop of hay on tillable land.
adj.
4. untilled; fallow.
Also, ley .
[ bef. 900; ME lege, lei, OE leah; c. OHG loh, dial. D loo (as in Waterloo ), L lucus ]
lea 2
/lee/ , n.
1. a measure of yarn of varying quantity, for wool usually 80 yards (73 m), cotton and silk 120 yards (110 m), linen 300 yards (274 m).
2. Textiles.
a. a unit length used to ascertain the linear density of yarns.
b. a count or number representing units of linear measure per pound in linen or cotton yarn: a 20-lea yarn.
[ 1350-1400; perh. back formation from ME lese, var. of LEASH ]