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lemon

lemon

25 4.9
A product, often a car, that has many problems
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛmən/
  • Informal
translation icon : cacharro
  • Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid ending up with a soppy lemon that breaks down.

Examples

  • Then Raymond, who sold us the lemon out front.

  • The car turned out to be a lemon after spending too much money on repairs.

  • And they sold this lemon to the American public.

  • - God, this house is a lemon.

  • No, i'm afraid as pretty as it is, We've got ourselves a lemon.

  • One involves a lemon law complaint in which an appeals panel reduced an award to $53,435 from $10 million.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Yeah, a lot of Series 10's were lemons.

  • - It's a lemon.

  • Most Nikon lenses are lemons, and any FX user will see this?

    Blog text (14)
  • Internally, they characterized these offerings as "junk," "dogs," "big old lemons," and "monstrosities."

    Blog text (22)

Synonyms

piece of crap
vslemon
  • Offensive
34 8.9

A thing of very poor quality that is useless

is about items that fail or are defective rather than merely worthless
clunker
vslemon
  • Informal
8 5.5

A thing, especially a product or show, that is poor quality and often fails

is used for items that are defective or unsatisfactory rather than just old
stinker
vslemon
  • Informal
5 6.7

A thing like a car that often breaks or does not work

is especially used for vehicles that prove defective or unsatisfactory
shoddy product
vslemon
1 3.6

A thing made badly that breaks easily or does not work well

is about items that are defective or unsatisfactory even if not badly made

Idioms

like a lemon
  • Informal
1 9.4

Standing or sitting without joining others and feeling awkward

Trick someone so they end up worse off

to suck a lemon
  • Informal
9.9

To accept and deal with an unpleasant situation without complaining

To stay still and feel awkward when you should do something

Compounds

46 1.0

The liquid you get from lemons used in cooking, drinks, and cleaning

7 3.0

A thin bright outer layer of a lemon peel that people grate to add flavor

Liquid squeezed from fresh lemons that is used in cooking or drinks

5 1.0

A small evergreen tree that grows yellow sour fruit used in cooking

A sweet dessert with lemon filling and soft meringue on top

3 2.5

A thick sweet spread made from lemons, butter, eggs, and sugar for cakes and toast

3 1.3

A small hard candy with lemon flavor, usually yellow and shaped like a lemon

3 2.5

A bright yellow like the outside of a lemon

lemon law
  • Formal
2 4.2

A law that helps buyers get a refund or replacement for vehicles that keep breaking

2 2.6

The outer skin of a lemon that you use to add flavor when cooking

2 5.6

A large yellowish-brown shark that lives in shallow water near the coast and often swims in groups

1 1.0

Yellow outer skin of a lemon that you grate or cut for cooking

Having the smell of lemon

1 2.7

An area of land where people grow lemon trees for fruit

1 3.4

A small rounder, sweeter lemon with thin skin or the tree that grows it

1 3.0

A herb with lemon-scented leaves used in cooking and teas

1 2.9

A sauce of browned butter with lemon juice and parsley for fish or vegetables

1 2.7

A yellow oil from lemon peels that gives a fresh smell or light lemon taste

A small amount of liquid that gives lemon flavor to food or drink

1 3.0

A tall tropical grass with a strong lemon smell used in cooking and tea

1 5.7

A flat fish with delicate flesh found in European and North Atlantic waters

1 5.4

A pale brown flat fish found along the Pacific coast of North America and eaten as food

A fizzy drink with a tart, slightly bitter lemon taste

4.2

A sweet thick spread for toast or cake made from lemons, butter, eggs, and sugar

7.0

A plant with yellow flowers that smell sweet and bloom in spring

A small plant with leaves that smell of lemon that people use to flavor tea and drinks

Thin strips of lemon skin cooked in sugar and used to decorate desserts

A garden plant with leaves that smell like lemon

lemon heaven
  • Informal
4.9

A very tasty lemon dessert for people who love lemons

lemon-scented gum
  • Australian
8.8

A tall Australian tree with smooth bark and a strong lemon smell from its leaves

lemon-wood tree
  • South African
8.3

An evergreen tree from South Africa with tough wood used for furniture

lemon-wood
  • South African
9.3

An evergreen tree from South Africa with very hard wood used for furniture

8.1

A small tree or shrub with leaves made of three parts, thin yellow-green flower clusters, and red hairy fruit

An annual herb with lemon-scented leaves and bright flowers

A lemon tree and its fruit that have a mild, sweet taste and can be eaten fresh

A yellow tropical fruit with juicy sweet pulp like passion fruit

A tropical vine with thin divided leaves that smells strong when you crush its stems

How Worthless

fraud
577 4.0
dud
  • Informal
14 4.7
lemon
  • Informal
25 4.9
goldbrick
  • Archaic
9.9
sham
  • Offensive
81 6.1
disappointment
223 1.7

Surface Forms

lemon singular
lemons plural

Etymology

A helpful way to remember calling something a lemon, meaning a bad or defective product, is to think of the sour fruit leaving a bad taste; the slang uses the fruit's sourness as a picture for disappointment, which is why people call a broken car a lemon.