From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlakelake /leɪk/ ●●● S3 W3 noun 1 [countable]DN a large area of water surrounded by land Lake Michigan2 → wine/milk etc lakeGRAMMAR: Patterns with lakein the lake• You use in the lake to talk about things that happen in the water: You can swim in the lake.Are there any fish in the lake? on the lake• You use on the lake to talk about things that happen on the surface of a lake or are very close to the edge of a lake: We go sailing on the lake.They have a cottage on the lake.at the lake• You use at the lake when thinking of a lake as a place where you can go: We spend summers at the lake.There’s a café at the lake.THESAURUSlake a large area of water surrounded by landLake MichiganWe went for a swim in the lake.lagoon an area of water that is separated from the sea by rocks, sand, or corala tropical lagooncoastal lagoonsloch in Scotland, a lake or an area of sea water that is almost completely surrounded by landLoch Nessa sea lochreservoir a lake, especially an artificial one, where water is stored before it is supplied to people’s housesThe reservoirs supply water to Greater Manchester.pond a small area of fresh water that is smaller than a lake, which is either natural or artificially madeThere were several ducks on the village pond.pool a small area of still water in a hollow placea pool of water near the summit of the mountaina rockpool (=a pool in some rocks near the sea)puddle a very small area of water on the ground, especially after it has been rainingShe turned quickly to avoid stepping in a puddle.waterhole a small area of water in a dry country, where wild animals go to drinkThe waterhole is used by elephants.
Examples from the Corpus
lake• Lake Erie• In the summer, we go water skiing on the lake.Origin lake (1200-1300) Old French lac, from Latin lacus 