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leg Definition

leg (leg)

noun

  1. one of the parts of the body by means of which animals stand and walk, specif., in human beings,
    1. one of the lower limbs
    2. Anat. the part of either lower limb from the knee to the foot
  2. a cut of meat consisting of the leg or its lower part
  3. the part of a stocking, slacks, etc. that covers the leg
  4. anything that resembles a leg in shape or use; specif.,
    1. a bar or pole used as a support or prop
    2. any of the supports of a piece of furniture
    3. any of the branches of a forked or jointed object
  5. the run made by a sailing vessel on one tack
  6. any of the stages of a journey or other course
  7. Slang a sustained ability to attract audiences: said as of a film
  8. Cricket that part of the field which lies to the left and back of the batsman
  9. Math. either of the sides of a triangle other than its base or, in a right-angled triangle, its hypotenuse

Etymology: ME < ON leggr, a leg, limb < IE base *lek-, limb > L lacertus, muscle, lacerta, lizard

intransitive verb legged, leg′·ging

Informal to walk or run: chiefly in the phr. leg it

leg Related Forms
leg′·less adjective
leg Idioms

get up on one's hind legs

Informal to become assertive, belligerent, etc.

give a leg up

Informal
  1. to help to mount
  2. to help advance

not have a leg to stand on

Informal to have absolutely no defense, excuse, or justification

on one's last legs

or on its last legs

Informal not far from exhaustion, death, breakdown, etc.

pull someone's leg

Informal to make fun of or fool by playing on a person's credulity

shake a leg

Slang
  1. to hurry
  2. to dance

stretch one's legs

to walk, esp. after sitting a long time

take to one's legs

to run away

leg Synonyms

leg

n.

  1. The limb of a creature

    part, member, lower appendage, hind leg, foreleg, back leg, front leg, left leg, right leg, shank, shank's mare*, underpinning*, gam*, stem*, pin*, bender*, landing gear*; see also limb 2.

  2. A relatively long, narrow support

    post, column, stake; see brace 1, support 2.

get up on one's hind legs*

assert oneself, be aggressive, take a stand; see declare 1.

give a leg up*

aid, support, assist; see help 1.

not have a leg to stand on*

be illogical, be unreasonable, make rash statements, have no defense, have no excuse, have no justification; see also mistake.

on one's last legs*

decaying, failing, collapsing, on the verge of collapse, near death, fading fast*; see also dying 2, worn 2.

pull someone's leg*

make fun of, fool, tease, play a trick on; see deceive.

shake a leg*

hasten, act hastily, get moving; see hurry 1.

stretch one's legs*

exercise, go for a walk, move about; see walk 1.

take to one's legs*

walk away, run away, depart, take flight; see leave 1.

leg Telecom Definition
A segment or portion of an end-to-end path associated with a call. For example, an international voice telephone call via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) has an originating leg supported by a local exchange carrier (LEC) in one nation, a terminating leg supported by a LEC in another nation, and an international leg supported by an interexchange carrier (IXC) that interconnects the two national LECs. See also IXC, LEC, and PSTN.
leg Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • amputate: After a year of treatment, Ben made the brave decision to have his right leg amputated above the knee.
  • outstretch: The Blue Lagoon & Reykjanes Peninsula Shaped like an outstretched leg, the volcanic Reykjanes Peninsula forms Iceland's south west corner.
  • ache: Tea Tree oil Foot & Leg Balm - Breath new life into weary, aching legs and feet with this soothing and refreshing balm.

Adjective modifier

  • hind: Keeping your inside heel down, ask with your inside calf for the horse to step under his belly with his inside hind leg.
  • broken: A broken leg in 1992 made me take yoga seriously.
  • left: In October 2003, Mr C started to complain of pain in his left leg.
  • tired: Struggling with her heavy cases and tired legs Rosemary fought her way by tube into central London.

Modifies a noun

  • ulcer: Randomized trial of oral aspirin for chronic venous leg ulcers.
  • ulceration: It has been suggested that nearly 1 % of the population may be affected by leg ulceration at some time during their lives.
  • stump: The Sat 1s skipper ended the game bowling the tailender with a beauty, clipping the leg stump bail.
  • muscle: The student will develop endurance in the leg muscles, with the deep stances opening the hips for greater flexibility.
  • cramp: It would seem that quinine is not only good for malaria but it also aids relief from leg cramps at night and muscular pain.
  • warmer: Baby Legs New from America, Baby Legs, are unique leg warmers especially designed for babies but also suitable up to age ten.

Noun used with modifier

  • trouser: I opened up my hand to discover my red satin thong - it had fallen out of my trouser leg outside on the street!
  • cabriole: Cabochon A carved ornament used on furniture of the mid-18th century, especially on the knees of cabriole chair legs.
  • fore: They each stand on a strange creature, which partly resembles a serpent and partly a crocodile, but has only fore legs.
  • fork: The " cheese " that was stuck to the side of the fork legs didn't stand the test of time at all.

Preposition: in

  • stirrup: You lie on a couch, with your legs in stirrups.
  • plaster: Where the driver is suffering from impaired ability such as having an arm or leg in plaster, or impaired eyesight.

Preposition: of

  • lamb: I was sorry I couldn't stay for the barbecued legs of lamb but I was spending the night with friends in Bath.
leg Quotes

For here I leave my second leg, And the Forty-second Foot!

—Honorius of Autun

A literary manöwith a wooden legöand all Print is open to him.

—Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

Gamp would certainly have drunk its little shoes right off its feet, as with our precious boy he did, and arterwards send the child a errand to sell his wooden leg for any money it 'ud fetch as matches in the rough, and bring it home in liquor.

—Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

The centipede was happy quite, Until the toad in fun Asked him which leg went after which, Which drove him into such a pitch He lay distracted in a ditch, Considering how to run.

—Craster, Mrs Edmund   d.1874

Browse dictionary entries near leg

  1. ‹ lefty
  2. ‹ leftward
  3. ‹ leftovers
  4. ‹ leftover
  5. ‹ leftist
  6. ‹ leftish
  7. ‹ left wing
  8. ‹ left out
  9. ‹ left heart
  10. ‹ left-handed
  1. leg. ›
  2. leg bye ›
  3. leg-of-mutton ›
  4. leg warmers ›
  5. legacy ›
  6. legacy system ›
  7. legal ›
  8. legal age ›
  9. legal aid ›
  10. legal assistant ›