Oxford dictionary states that lest is synonymous with in case.
Meanwhile, I am too confused about the following. I am wondering when/where would you rather use these? And are they really interchangeable?
- just in case
- in case
- lest
I need an inclusive answer please.
I have looked up dictionaries and I came across different types of definitions and synonyms, especially in the Oxford dictionary, which I provide in a link:
Best Answer
When using "in case" as in "take this umbrella, in case it rains", you acknowledge the possibility of the action (i.e. rain). You're not certain it will happen, but it's not unlikely. You'll often see "in case" in instructions, rules, etc. - for example, "in case of fire, stop, drop, and roll".
When using "just in case", on the other hand, you emphasise the unlikeliness of the action. If you're "taking this umbrella, just in case it rains", you don't really expect it to rain, but you're taking precautions. It's also less formal, it's not something you'll see on a warning sign or in a rulebook.
"Lest" is somewhat poetic and archaic, but I think it puts a bit more emphasis on the undesirability of the consequences than the actual likelihood of the event. Don't quote me on that, though.