list
A series of items written or printed in order.
The word list has two main meanings:
- A series of items written down one after another. When you make a grocery list, you write down everything you need to buy: milk, bread, apples, chicken. Your teacher might keep an attendance list with everyone's names. Santa's famous list tracks who's been naughty or nice. Lists help us remember things, organize our thoughts, and get things done. You might keep a to-do list of homework assignments, a packing list for summer camp, or a wish list of birthday presents. Lists can be numbered, bulleted, or just simple lines of text. The verb form means creating such a list: a real estate agent lists a house for sale by adding it to the available properties.
- To tilt or lean to one side, usually describing ships. When a boat takes on water on one side, it begins to list dangerously. The Titanic developed a severe list as it sank. Unlike leaning, which any object can do, listing specifically describes vessels tilting in water. You might see this meaning in old adventure stories: “The storm-battered ship listed heavily to port as waves crashed over the deck.”