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leech¹ Definition

leech (lēc̸h)

noun

  1. Archaic a physician
  2. any of a subclass (Hirudinea) of mostly flattened, annelid worms living in water or wet earth and having a well-developed sucker at each end: most are bloodsuckers, and one species (Hirudo medicinalis) has been used in medicine, esp. in former times, to bleed patients
  3. a person who clings to another to gain some personal advantage; parasite

Etymology: ME leche < OE læce, akin to OHG lāhhi, Goth lēkeis, magician, healer, OE lacnian, to heal, prob. < IE base *le-, collect, gather together > L lex (see legal); leechsense is supposedly same word (from use in medicine), but OE (Kentish) lyce, ME liche, MDu lieke suggest different word assimilated by folk etym.

transitive verb

  1. Obsolete to heal
  2. to apply leeches to; bleed with leeches
  3. to cling to (another) as a parasite; drain dry

intransitive verb

to act as a parasite: often with onto

leech² Definition

leech (lēc̸h)

noun

  1. the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail
  2. either of the vertical edges of a square sail

Etymology: LME lyche, akin to ON lik < Du lijk, boltrope < IE base *lei-, to bind, fasten > L ligare, to tie

leech Synonyms

leech

n.

  1. A parasite

    tapeworm, hookworm, bloodsucker; see parasite 1.

  2. *Dependent

    parasite, hanger-on, sponger*; see sycophant.

leech Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • apply: Ellen Clever, provides and applies the best leeches.
  • use: A favorite ' cure ' was to bleed the patient using leeches.
  • have: In the meanwhile, I have a few leeches for sale.
  • allow: What allows a leech to regenerate its nervous system?
  • put: At one time doctors regularly put leeches on the bodies of their patients to drink their blood.
  • open: The cunningham should only be needed when overpowered to move the draft forward and to open the upper leech.

Adjective modifier

  • medicinal: Medicinal leeches, for example, once a well used cure for all types of diseases are now a threatened species.
  • giant: Note: Tho this is a very easy way to kill the giant leech, you must also watch your partner's health.
  • terrestrial: Terrestrial leeches, one of Madagascar's many interesting Asian affinities, can be a real pest.
  • live: And change my proposed target to involve a ton of live leeches.
  • Bloodsucking: The patient was taken to the emergency room, where doctors identified the problem as a bloodsucking leech.
  • stinking: Previously UK awash with unwashed dishwashers European washout fuels immigration fears Take that, you stinking leech!

Modifies a noun

  • sock: Please ensure you get yourself a pair of leech socks.
  • tension: The kicker will also increase leech tension watch out for a " hooked " leech.
  • offwind: Around the same time that carbon booms were around the class also had rotating goosenecks, which helped open the leech offwind.
  • gatherer: Itâs Wordsworth leech gatherer or the noble savage all over again in modern dress.
  • protection: You do not need to do anything else - leech protection is automatically enabled.
  • specie: The various leech species have developed their own unique method of ovulation.

Noun used with modifier

  • horse: On the 22nd of June a large horse leech was found in a puddle halfway down the cave.
  • water: As we waded through the water, up to the waist at times, we saw our first water leech.

Browse dictionary entries near leech

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  2. ‹ lee tide
  3. ‹ lee shore
  4. ‹ Lee's Birthday
  5. ‹ lee
  6. ‹ ledger line
  7. ‹ ledger board
  8. ‹ ledger
  9. ‹ ledge
  10. ‹ lederhosen
  1. Leeds ›
  2. leek ›
  3. leer ›
  4. leery ›
  5. lees ›
  6. leet ›
  7. Leetspeak ›
  8. Leeuwarden ›
  9. Leeuwenhoek ›
  10. leeward ›