lesson

Universal Words noun 1 a period of time in which sb is taught sth: She gives piano lessons. * All new students are given lessons in / on how to use the library. * I'm having / taking driving lessons. * (especially BrE) Our first lesson on Tuesdays is French. * (especially BrE) What did we do last lesson? compareCLASS 2 something that is intended to be learned: The course book is divided into 30 lessons. * Other EU members can teach us a lesson or two on industrial policy. 3 ~ (to sb) an experience, especially an unpleasant one, that sb can learn from so that it does not happen again in the future: a salutary / valuable lesson * Let that be a lesson to you! * The accident taught me a lesson I'll never forget. * Their openness was a terrific lesson to me. * We are still absorbing the harsh lessons of this disaster. * It was a lesson not lost on (= learned well by) the team manager. seealsoOBJECTLESSON 4 a passage from the Bible that is read aloud during a church service: The first lesson is taken from St John's Gospel. IDIOMS see LEARN