noun
- either of the two lower limbs of a biped, as a human being, or any of the paired limbs of an animal, arthropod, etc., that support and move the body.
- Anatomy. the lower limb of a human being from the knee to the ankle.
- something resembling or suggesting a leg in use, position, or appearance.
- the part of a garment that covers the leg: the leg of a stocking; trouser leg.
- one of usually several, relatively tall, slender supports for a piece of furniture.
- one of the sides of a forked object, as of a compass or pair of dividers.
- one of the sides of a triangle other than the base or hypotenuse.
- a timber, bar, or the like, serving to prop or shore up a structure.
- one of the flanges of an angle iron.
- one of the distinct sections of any course: the last leg of a trip.
- Nautical.
- one of the series of straight runs that make up the zigzag course of a sailing ship.
- one straight or nearly straight part of a multiple-sided course in a sailing race.
- Sports.
- one of a designated number of contests that must be successfully completed in order to determine the winner.
- one of the stretches or sections of a relay race.
- legs, (in wine tasting) the rivulets of wine that slowly descend along the inside of a glass after the wine has been swirled, sometimes regarded as an indication that the wine is full-bodied.
- Cricket.
- the part of the field to the left of and behind the batsman as he faces the bowler or to the right of and behind him if he is left-handed.
- the fielder playing this part of the field.
- the position of this fielder.
- Electricity. a component or branch of a circuit, network, antenna, etc.
- Radio and Television. a connecting link between stations in a network, as the microwave relays used in transmitting a show from one geographical area to another.
- bride2(def 1).
verb (used with object), legged, legĀ·ging.
- to move or propel (a boat) with the legs: They legged the boat through the tunnel.
Verb Phrases
- leg up, to help (someone) to mount a horse.
Idioms
- leg it, Informal. to walk rapidly or run: We’d better leg it or we’ll be late for class.
- leg up,
- a means of help or encouragement; assist; boost: Studying the material with a tutor will give you a leg up on passing the exam.
- advantage; edge.
- not have a leg to stand on, to lack a valid or logical basis for one’s argument or attitude: Without evidence, the prosecutor doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
- on one’s/its last legs, just short of exhaustion, breakdown, failure, etc.: The aristocracy was on its last legs.
- pull someone’s leg,
- to make fun of someone; tease.
- to deceive someone; trick someone.
- shake a leg, Informal.
- to hurry up.
- Older Use.to dance.
- stretch one’s legs, to take a walk; get some needed exercise after prolonged sitting: He got up during the intermission to stretch his legs.
- legal.
- legate.
- legato.
- legend.
- legislation.
- legislative.
- legislature.
noun
-
- either of the two lower limbs, including the bones and fleshy covering of the femur, tibia, fibula, and patella
- (as modifier)leg guard; leg rest Related adjective: crural
- any similar or analogous structure in animals that is used for locomotion or support
- this part of an animal, esp the thigh, used for foodleg of lamb
- something similar to a leg in appearance or function, such as one of the four supporting members of a chair
- a branch, limb, or part of a forked or jointed object
- the part of a garment that covers the leg
- a section or part of a journey or course
- a single stage, lap, length, etc, in a relay race
- either one of two races on which a cumulative bet has been placed
- either the opposite or adjacent side of a right-angled triangle
- nautical
- the distance travelled without tacking
- (in yacht racing) the course between any two marks
- one of a series of games, matches, or parts of games
- cricket
- the side of the field to the left of a right-handed batsman as he faces the bowler
- (as modifier)a leg slip; leg stump
- give someone a leg up
- to help someone to climb an obstacle by pushing upwards
- to help someone to advance
- have legs informal to be successful or show the potential to succeed
- not have a leg to stand on to have no reasonable or logical basis for an opinion or argument
- on its last legs worn out; exhausted
- pull someone’s leg informal to tease, fool, or make fun of someone
- shake a leg informal
- to hurry up: usually used in the imperative
- to dance
- show a leg informal to get up in the morning
- stretch one’s legs See stretch (def. 17)
verb legs, legging or legged
- (tr) obsolete to propel (a canal boat) through a tunnel by lying on one’s back and walking one’s feet along the tunnel roof
- leg it informal to walk, run, or hurry
abbreviation for
- legato
n.late 13c., from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse leggr “leg, bone of the arm or leg,” from Proto-Germanic *lagjaz, with no certain ulterior connections, perhaps from a PIE root meaning “to bend” [Buck]. Cf. German Bein “leg,” in Old High German “bone, leg.” Replaced Old English shank. Of furniture supports from 1670s. The meaning “a part or stage of a journey or race” (1920) is from earlier sailing sense of “a run made on a single tack” (1867), which was usually qualified as long leg, short leg, etc. Slang phrase shake a leg “dance” is attested from 1881. To be on (one’s) last legs “at the end of one’s life” is from 1590s. v.“to use the legs; walk or run,” c.1500 (from the beginning usually with it); from leg (n.). n.
- One of the two lower limbs of the human body, especially the part between the knee and the foot.
- A supporting part resembling a leg in shape or function.
In addition to the idiom beginning with leg
also see: