leg

leg
n. & v.
—n.
1 a each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands. b the part of this from the hip to the ankle.
2 a leg of an animal or bird as food.
3 an artificial leg (wooden leg).
4 a part of a garment covering a leg or part of a leg.
5 a a support of a chair, table, bed, etc. b a long thin support or prop, esp. a pole.
6 Cricket the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) in which the striker's feet are placed (opp. OFF).
7 a a section of a journey. b a section of a relay race. c a stage in a competition. d one of two or more games constituting a round.
8 one branch of a forked object.
9 Naut. a run made on a single tack.
10 archaic an obeisance made by drawing back one leg and bending it while keeping the front leg straight.
—v.tr. (legged, legging) propel (a boat) through a canal tunnel by pushing with one's legs against the tunnel sides.
Phrases and idioms:
feel (or find) one's legs become able to stand or walk. give a person a leg up help a person to mount a horse etc. or get over an obstacle or difficulty. have the legs of be able to go further than. have no legs colloq. (of a golf ball etc.) have not enough momentum to reach the desired point. keep one's legs not fall. leg before wicket Cricket (of a batsman) out because of illegally obstructing the ball with a part of the body other than the hand. leg break Cricket
1 a ball which deviates from the leg side after bouncing.
2 such deviation. leg-bye see BYE(1). leg-cutter Cricket a fast leg break. leg-iron a shackle or fetter for the leg. leg it colloq. walk or run hard. leg-of-mutton sail a triangular mainsail. leg-of-mutton sleeve a sleeve which is full and loose on the upper arm but close-fitting on the forearm. leg-pull colloq. a hoax. leg-rest a support for a seated invalid's leg. leg-room space for the legs of a seated person. leg-show a theatrical performance by scantily-dressed women. leg slip Cricket a fielder stationed for a ball glancing off the bat to the leg side behind the wicket. leg spin Cricket a type of spin which causes the ball to deviate from the leg side after bouncing. leg stump Cricket the stump on the leg side. leg theory Cricket bowling to leg with fielders massed on that side. leg trap Cricket a group of fielders near the wicket on the leg side. leg warmer either of a pair of tubular knitted garments covering the leg from ankle to thigh. not have a leg to stand on be unable to support one's argument by facts or sound reasons. on one's last legs near death or the end of one's usefulness etc.
on one's legs
1 (also on one's hind legs) standing esp. to make a speech.
2 well enough to walk about. take to one's legs run away.
Derivatives:
legged adj. (also in comb.). legger n.
Etymology: ME f. ON leggr f. Gmc

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Leg — (l[e^]g), n. [Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. l[ae]g calf of the leg, Sw. l[ a]gg.] 1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • leg — [leg] n. [ME < ON leggr, a leg, limb < IE base * lek , limb > L lacertus, muscle, lacerta, lizard] 1. one of the parts of the body by means of which animals stand and walk, specif., in human beings, a) one of the lower limbs b) Anat. the …   English World dictionary

  • leg — ► NOUN 1) each of the limbs on which a person or animal moves and stands. 2) a long, thin support or prop, especially of a chair or table. 3) a section of a journey, process, or race. 4) (in sport) each of two or more games or stages constituting …   English terms dictionary

  • leg*/*/*/ — [leg] noun [C] 1) one of the parts of a person s or animal s body to which the feet are attached an exercise to strengthen the leg muscles[/ex] She sat down and crossed her legs.[/ex] 2) the part of a piece of clothing that covers one of your… …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • legʷh- —     legʷh     English meaning: light (adj.)     Deutsche Übersetzung: “leicht in Bewegung and Gewicht”, verbal ‘sich leicht, flink bewegen”     Note: nasalized lengʷh     Material: 1. O.Ind. laghu , ved. raghu “rash, hasty, light, small”, compar …   Proto-Indo-European etymological dictionary

  • Leg — * Lêg, er, este, oder Lêge, r, ste, adj. et adv. welches nur in einigen gemeinen Mundarten üblich ist, wo es eigentlich niedrig bedeutet, in welchem Verstande es vorzüglich im Niederdeutschen vorkommt. Das Wasser ist leg, niedrig. Leges Wasser… …   Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart

  • leg-1 —     leg 1     English meaning: to drip, ooze, flow out     Deutsche Übersetzung: “tröpfeln, sickern, zergehen”     Material: Arm. lič ‘swamp, marsh” (*lēgi̯ ü); O.Ir. legaim “löse mich auf, zergehe, schmelze”, fo llega “(die ink) running from”,… …   Proto-Indo-European etymological dictionary

  • leĝ- —     leĝ     English meaning: to gather     Deutsche Übersetzung: “zusammenlesen, sammeln”     Material: Gk. λέγω ‘sammle, lese together, zähle, rede, say”, καταλέγω “verzeichne”, συλλογή ‘sammlung”, ἐκλογή “Auswahl”, λόγος, λέξις “ discourse “,… …   Proto-Indo-European etymological dictionary

  • Leg — (l[e^]g), v. t. To use as a leg, with it as object: (a) To bow. [Obs.] (b) To run. [Low] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • leg. — leg. 〈Abk. für ital.〉 legato * * * leg. = ↑ legato. * * * leg. = legato …   Universal-Lexikon

  • leg-up — leg ,up noun singular 1. ) INFORMAL if you give someone a leg up, you help them to make progress, especially in their career 2. ) if you give someone a leg up, you help them climb something by letting them put their foot in your hands and then… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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