lemon

1. [uncountable and countable] a fruit with a hard yellow skin and sour juice:
   • a slice of lemon
   • Add a few drops of lemon juice.
2. [uncountable] British English a drink that tastes of lemons:
   • a glass of fizzy lemon
3. (also lemon yellow) [uncountable] a pale yellow colour
4. [countable] especially American English informal something that is useless because it fails to work or to work properly:
   • I soon realized the van was a lemon.
5. [countable] British English informal a silly person:
   • He just stood there looking like a real lemon.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

lemon

lemon [lemon lemons] noun, adjective [ˈlemən] [ˈlemən]

noun

1. countable, uncountable a yellow citrus fruit with a lot of sour juice. Slices of lemon and lemon juice are used in cooking and drinks

• lemon tea

• a gin and tonic with ice and lemon

• Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fish.

• a lemon tree

2. uncountable lemon juice or a drink made from lemon

see also bitter lemon

3. (also ˌlemon ˈyellow) uncountable a pale yellow colour

4. countable (informal, especially NAmE) a thing that is useless because it does not work as it should

Syn: dud

5. countable (BrE) a stupid person

Word Origin:

Middle English: via Old French limon (in modern French denoting a lime) from Arabic līmūn (a collective term for fruits of this kind); compare with lime (the fruit).

Example Bank:

• Garnish the fish with wedges of lemon.

• Squeeze a quarter of a lemon over the fish.

Syn: idiot

adjective (also ˌlemon ˈyellow)

pale yellow in colour

Word Origin:

Middle English: via Old French limon (in modern French denoting a lime) from Arabic līmūn (a collective term for fruits of this kind); compare with lime (the fruit).

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

lemon / ˈlem.ən / noun (FRUIT)

lemon

A2 [ C or U ] an oval fruit that has a thick, yellow skin and sour juice:

For this recipe you need the juice of two lemons.

Would you like a slice of lemon in your tea?

lemon juice

[ U ] the juice of a lemon or a drink made from this juice

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

lemon

/lemən/
(lemons)

1.
A lemon is a bright yellow fruit with very sour juice. Lemons grow on trees in warm countries.
...a slice of lemon.
...oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits.
...lemon juice.
N-VAR

2.
Lemon is a drink that tastes of lemons.
N-UNCOUNT

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

lemon

lem·on /ˈlɛmən/ noun, pl -ons
1 [count, noncount] : a yellow citrus fruit that has a sour taste
• The recipe calls for the juice of two lemons.
• Garnish it with a slice of lemon.
- often used before another noun
• lemon juice
• lemon trees
• a lemon grove
2 [noncount] : a bright yellow color - called also lemon yellow,
3 [count] chiefly US informal : a product that is not made well : a product that does not work the way it should
• Our new car is a lemon.
4 [count] Brit informal : a stupid or silly person
- lem·ony /ˈlɛməni/ adj [more ~; most ~]
• a lemony flavor
• a lemony color