les·son / ˈlesən/ • n. 1. an amount of teaching given at one time; a period of learning or teaching: an advanced lesson in math a driving lesson. ∎  a thing learned or to be learned by a student. ∎  a thing learned by experience: the tragedy is a lesson indisappointment. ∎  an occurrence, example, or punishment that serves or should serve to warn or encourage: let that be a lesson to you! 2. a passage from theBible read aloud during a church service, esp. either of two readings at morning and evening prayer in the Anglican Church. • v. [tr.] archaic instruct or teach (someone). ∎  admonish or rebuke (someone). PHRASES: learn one's lesson acquire a greater understanding of the world through a particular unpleasant or stressful experience.teach someone a lesson punish or hurt someone as a deterrent: they were teaching me a lesson for daring to complain.

lesson portion of sacred scripture read in divine service; portion of a book to be studied; portion or period of teaching XIII; †lecture XIV. — (O)F. leçon :- L. lectiō, -ōn- LECTION.

lesson. Term used in 17th and 18th cents. for short kbd. piece or exercise, and often synonymous with sonata.