Robert E. Lee
15
7.2
- proper noun
- /ˈrɒbərt iː liː/
- Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee, the faces of the Confederate South, had declared that the South would secede from the Union before they would capitulate and give up slavery.
- General Robert E. Lee
Examples
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General Robert E. Lee prayed every day to the Lord to grant him victory and knew his prayers would be answered in the affirmative until Appomattox.
Blog text (8) -
Macfadden Eward sat in a reading chair next to a lamp, the history of Robert E. Lee in his lap.
Academic text (2010) -
I knew Robert E. Lee's birthday, January 19, and the name of his horse, Traveller.
Academic text (1991) -
Those were the words Robert E. Lee used to describe the Confederate Congress at Richmond after one of his trips to get better food for his troops.
Blog text (13) -
One street, Monument Avenue, has grand statues dedicated to Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and many other Confederate leaders.
Academic text (2006) -
In the contemporary United States, with its social mobility and common culture, it is hard for us today to imagine what Robert E. Lee felt when he declined to assume the generalship of the Union armies on the grounds that he must fight for his "native state" of Virginia.
Academic text (1997) -
Late in 1863, when General Robert E. Lee's army was camped along the Rapidan River, another revival began, resulting in the construction of thirty-seven large chapels, the establishment of Bible classes, and the conversion of about one thousand soldiers.
Academic text (1991) -
During the American Civil War, General Robert E. Lee commanded the Confederate Army in several key battles.
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The famous Southern general, Robert E. Lee, is often remembered for his leadership at the Battle of Gettysburg.
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Many historians study the strategies of Robert E. Lee to understand the complexities of the Civil War.
Synonyms
1
7.4
An American general who led the Confederate armies in the Civil War
Surface Forms
Morphology
Robert + E. + Lee
This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent words 'Robert', 'E.' and 'Lee' does not convey the fact that he was a Confederate general or his historical dates. Personal names are arbitrary, non-compositional referents cross-linguistically, so the referential meaning cannot be derived from the parts and would be opaque to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Robert E. Lee is the name of an American general who led the 'Confederate' armies in the 'Civil War' in the 1800s. Because he was a well-known military leader, towns, parks, and schools were often named after him, so his name appears in history books and place names today.