Adjacent Words

Leg definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LEG, n.
1. The limb of an animal, used in supporting the body and in walking and running; properly, that part of the limb from the knee to the foot, but in a more general sense, the whole limb, including the thigh, the leg and the foot.
2. The long or slender support of any thing; as the leg of a table.
To make a leg, to bow; a phrase introduced probably by the practice of drawing the right leg backward. [Little used.]
To stand on one's own legs, to support one's self; to trust to one's own strength or efforts without aid.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
2: a structure in animals that is similar to a human leg and used for locomotion
3: one of the supports for a piece of furniture
4: a part of a forked or branching shape; "he broke off one of the branches" [syn: branch, leg, ramification]
5: the limb of an animal used for food
6: a prosthesis that replaces a missing leg [syn: peg, wooden leg, leg, pegleg]
7: a cloth covering consisting of the part of a pair of trousers that covers a person's leg
8: (nautical) the distance traveled by a sailing vessel on a single tack
9: a section or portion of a journey or course; "then we embarked on the second stage of our Caribbean cruise" [syn: stage, leg]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse leggr Date: 14th century 1. a limb of an animal used especially for supporting the body and for walking: as a. (1) one of the paired vertebrate limbs that in bipeds extend from the top of the thigh to the foot (2) the part of such a limb between the knee and foot b. the back half of a hindquarter of a meat animal c. one of the rather generalized segmental appendages of an arthropod used in walking and crawling 2. a. a pole or bar serving as a support or prop <the legs of a tripod> b. a branch of a forked or jointed object <the legs of a compass> 3. a. the part of an article of clothing that covers the leg b. the part of the upper (as of a boot) that extends above the ankle 4. obeisance, bow — used chiefly in the phrase to make a leg 5. a side of a right triangle that is not the hypotenuse; also a side of an isosceles triangle that is not the base 6. a. the course and distance sailed by a boat on a single tack b. a portion of a trip ; stage c. one section of a relay race d. one of several events or games necessary to be won to decide a competition <won the first two legs of horse racing's Triple Crown> 7. a branch or part of an object or system 8. plural long-term appeal or interest <a news story with legs> • legless adjective II. intransitive verb (legged; legging) Date: 1601 to use the legs in walking; especially run III. abbreviation 1. legal 2. legato 3. legislative; legislature

Britannica Concise

Lower limb of a biped, jointed at the knee, supporting the body and used for walking and running. Its bones are the femur (thighbone), longest bone in the human body; patella (kneecap); tibia (shin); and fibula. The biceps muscle of the thigh bends the leg; the quadriceps straightens it.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

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

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Leg 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. 2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or dividers. 3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers. 4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing. [Obs.] He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received. --Fuller. 5. A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [Slang, Eng.] 6. (Naut.) The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks. 7. (Steam Boiler) An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; -- called also water leg. 8. (Grain Elevator) The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets. 9. (Cricket) A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter. A good leg (Naut.), a course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course. Leg bail, escape from custody by flight. [Slang] Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) (Geom.), the branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely. Legs of a triangle, the sides of a triangle; -- a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypothenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle. On one's legs, standing to speak. On one's last legs. See under Last. To have legs (Naut.), to have speed.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Leg Leg (l[e^]g), v. t. To use as a leg, with it as object: (a) To bow. [Obs.] (b) To run. [Low]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Leg Leg, n. 1. (Math.) Either side of a triangle of a triangle as distinguished from the base or, in a right triangle, from the hypotenuse; also, an indefinitely extending branch of a curve, as of a hyperbola. 2. (Telephony) A branch or lateral circuit connecting an instrument with the main line. 3. (Elec.) A branch circuit; one phase of a polyphase system.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Elevator El"e*va`tor, n. [L., one who raises up, a deliverer: cf. F. ['e]l['e]vateur.] One who, or that which, raises or lifts up anything; as: (a) A mechanical contrivance, usually an endless belt or chain with a series of scoops or buckets, for transferring grain to an upper loft for storage. (b) A cage or platform and the hoisting machinery in a hotel, warehouse, mine, etc., for conveying persons, goods, etc., to or from different floors or levels; -- called in England a lift; the cage or platform itself. (c) A building for elevating, storing, and discharging, grain. (d) (Anat.) A muscle which serves to raise a part of the body, as the leg or the eye. (e) (Surg.) An instrument for raising a depressed portion of a bone. Elevator head, leg, & boot, the boxes in which the upper pulley, belt, and lower pulley, respectively, run in a grain elevator.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(legs) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A person or animal's legs are the long parts of their body that they use to stand on. He was tapping his walking stick against his leg. N-COUNT: usu poss N • -legged Her name was Sheila, a long-legged blonde. ...a large four-legged animal. COMB in ADJ 2. The legs of a pair of trousers are the parts that cover your legs. He moved on through wet grass that soaked his trouser legs. N-COUNT: usu pl 3. A leg of lamb, pork, chicken, or other meat is a piece of meat that consists of the animal's or bird's leg, especially the thigh. ...a chicken leg. ...a leg of mutton. N-COUNT: n N, N of n 4. The legs of a table, chair, or other piece of furniture are the parts that rest on the floor and support the furniture's weight. His ankles were tied to the legs of the chair... N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft n N, N of n • -legged ...a three-legged stool. COMB in ADJ 5. A leg of a long journey is one part of it, usually between two points where you stop. The first leg of the journey was by boat to Lake Naivasha in Kenya. N-COUNT: usu ord N, N of n 6. A leg of a sports competition is one of a series of games that are played to find an overall winner. (mainly BRIT) They will televise both legs of Leeds' European Cup clash with Rangers. N-COUNT 7. If you say that something or someone is on their last legs, you mean that the period of time when they were successful or strong is ending. (INFORMAL) This relationship is on its last legs. PHRASE: usu v-link PHR 8. If you are pulling someone's leg, you are teasing them by telling them something shocking or worrying as a joke. (INFORMAL) Of course I won't tell them; I was only pulling your leg. PHRASE: V inflects 9. If you say that someone does not have a leg to stand on, or hasn't got a leg to stand on, you mean that a statement or claim they have made cannot be justified or proved. (INFORMAL) It's only my word against his, I know. So I don't have a leg to stand on. PHRASE: with brd-neg 10. an arm and a leg: see arm with your tail between your legs: see tail

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(1) shoq, Aramaic shoq;

(2) kara`, dual kera`ayim;

(3) reghel; skelos; the King James Version translates also shobhel, and tse`adhah, with "leg," but mistakenly):

(1) The first Hebrew word (shoq) denotes the upper leg, and is therefore synonymous with THIGH (which see). It expresses metaphorically the muscular strength, and the pride of the runner. "He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man" (Ps 147:10). "His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold" (So 5:15). If the legs have lost their strength as in the lame or the Beri-beri patient, they become a metaphor for anything useless, inefficient or disappointing: "The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a parable in the mouth of fools" (Pr 26:7). The Aramaic form is found in the description of the image of Nebuchadnezzar, "its legs of iron" (Da 2:33).

(2) Kara`, dual kera`ayim, the "leg," "respecting the legs," mentioned as a portion of the paschal lamb (Ex 12:9), or, usually, in connection with the head and the inwards, as a sacrificial portion (Ex 29:17; Le 1:9,13; Am 3:12). The word designates also the legs of leaping insects of the orthopterous family, locusts, etc., which were permitted as food to the Israelites (Le 11:21). (3) Reghel, literally, "foot" (which see), found in this sense only once: "He (Goliath) had greaves of brass upon his legs" (1Sa 17:6).

Two passages of wrong translation in the King James Version have been corrected by the Revised Version (British and American). The virgin daughter of Babylon is addressed: "Make bare the leg, uncover the thigh" (Isa 47:2), the Revised Version (British and American) renders: "Strip off the train (shobhel), uncover the leg," the idea being that the gentle maid, who has been brought up in affluence and luxury, will have to don the attire of a slave girl and do menial work, for which her former garments are unsuited. The other passage is in Isa 3:20, where the King James Version reads: "the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs," the Revised Version (British and American) corrects: "the headtires (ts`adhah), and the ankle chains."

In the New Testament the word "leg" is found only in connection with the breaking of the legs of the persons crucified with the Saviour (Joh 19:31,32,33). We know from Roman and Greek authors that this was done as a coup de grace to shorten the miseries of criminals condemned to die on the cross. The practice bore the technical name of skelokopia, Latin crurifragium. The verb skelokopein ("to break the legs"), is found in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter (1Pe 4:14), where it is distinctly stated that the legs of Jesus were not broken, that His sufferings on the cross might be extended, while the two malefactors crucified with Him were mercifully dispatched in this way. The crurifragium consisted of some strokes with a heavy club or mallet, which always materially hastened the death of the sufferer, and often caused it almost immediately.

Edersheim, in LTJM, II, 613, suggests that the breaking of legs was an additional punishment, and that it was always followed by a coup de grace, the perforatio or percussio sub alas, a stroke with sword or lance into the side. This, however, is not borne out by any classical information which is known to me, and is contradicted by the statement of the evangelist that Jesus received the percussio, while the malefactors endured the crurifragium. Compare on this subject, especially for parallels from classical authors, Sepp, Das Leben Jesu, VII, 441, and Keim, Jesus von Nazara (English translation), VI, 253, note 3.

H. L. E. Luering

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

To make a leg; to bow. To give leg-bail and land security; to run away. To fight at the leg; to take unfair advantages: it being held unfair by back-sword players to strike at the leg. To break a leg; a woman who has had a bastard, is said to have broken a leg.

Moby Thesaurus

ambulate, ankle, appendage, arm, assist, bayonet legs, boost, bough, bowlegs, branch, break, breast, broken circuit, calf, chicken foot, circuit, circuital field, circumambulate, closed circuit, cnemis, complete circuit, course, crossing, cruise, dark meat, dead circuit, drumstick, foot, foot it, foreleg, galvanic circuit, gamb, gambrel, giblets, gigot, ham, hand, helping hand, hind leg, hock, hoof it, hot circuit, imp, jamb, jaywalk, jog on, joint, knee, lateral circuit, leg it, leg up, lift, limb, link, live circuit, lobe, lobule, loop, magnetic circuit, member, microcircuit, multiple circuit, multiple series, neck, ocean trip, offshoot, organ, oyster, pace, pad, pale, palisade, passage, path, pedestrianize, peg, perambulate, peripateticate, picket, pile, pinion, podite, popliteal space, printed circuit, ramification, run, runner, sail, scion, scissor-legs, sea trip, series multiple, shakedown cruise, shank, shin, short, short circuit, shuffle along, spile, spray, sprig, spur, stake, stems, step, stride, stump it, stumps, switch, tail, tarsus, tendril, thigh, traipse, tread, trotters, turkey foot, twig, vector field, voyage, walk, white meat, wing, wishbone