leg

¹

[leg]

noun

1. 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.

2. Anatomy.,  the lower limb of a human being from the knee to the ankle.

3. something resembling or suggesting a leg in use, position, or appearance.

4. the part of a garment that covers the leg.

   the legs of pantyhose;

   his trouser leg.

5. one of usually several, relatively tall, slender supports for a piece of furniture.

   sturdy piano legs.

6. one of the sides of a forked object, as of a compass or pair of dividers.

7. one of the sides of a triangle other than the base or hypotenuse.

8. a timber, bar, or the like, serving to prop or shore up a structure.

9. one of the flanges of an angle iron.

10. one of the distinct sections of any course.

    the last leg of a trip.

11. Nautical.

    1. one of the series of straight runs that make up the zigzag course of a sailing ship.

    2. one straight or nearly straight part of a multiple-sided course in a sailing race.

12. Sports.

    1. one of a designated number of contests that must be successfully completed in order to determine the winner.

    2. one of the stretches or sections of a relay race.

13. Slang.,  legs, staying power, especially the capacity to draw large audiences steadily over a long period.

    I had hoped for a bestseller, but my second novel had no legs.

14. 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.

15. Cricket.

    1. 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.

    2. the fielder playing this part of the field.

    3. the position of this fielder.

16. Electricity.,  a component or branch of a circuit, network, antenna, etc.

17. 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.

18. bride.

verb (used with object)

legged, legging 

1. to move or propel (a boat) with the legs.

   They legged the boat through the tunnel.

verb phrase

1. leg up,  to help (someone) to mount a horse.

leg.

²

abbreviation

1. legal.

2. legate.

3. legato.

4. legend.

5. legislation.

6. legislative.

7. legislature.

leg

¹

/ lɛɡ /

noun

1. 1. either of the two lower limbs, including the bones and fleshy covering of the femur, tibia, fibula, and patella

   2. ( as modifier )

      leg guard

      leg rest

2. any similar or analogous structure in animals that is used for locomotion or support

3. this part of an animal, esp the thigh, used for food

   leg of lamb

4. something similar to a leg in appearance or function, such as one of the four supporting members of a chair

5. a branch, limb, or part of a forked or jointed object

6. the part of a garment that covers the leg

7. a section or part of a journey or course

8. a single stage, lap, length, etc, in a relay race

9. either one of two races on which a cumulative bet has been placed

10. either the opposite or adjacent side of a right-angled triangle

11. nautical

    1. the distance travelled without tacking

    2. (in yacht racing) the course between any two marks

12. one of a series of games, matches, or parts of games

13. cricket

    1. the side of the field to the left of a right-handed batsman as he faces the bowler

    2. ( as modifier )

       a leg slip

       leg stump

14. 1. to help someone to climb an obstacle by pushing upwards

    2. to help someone to advance

15. informal,  to be successful or show the potential to succeed

16. to have no reasonable or logical basis for an opinion or argument

17. worn out; exhausted

18. informal,  to tease, fool, or make fun of someone

19. informal

    1. to hurry up: usually used in the imperative

    2. to dance

20. informal,  to get up in the morning

21. See stretch

verb

1. obsolete,  (tr) to propel (a canal boat) through a tunnel by lying on one's back and walking one's feet along the tunnel roof

2. informal,  to walk, run, or hurry

leg.

²

abbreviation

1. legato

Other Word Forms

• legless adjective
• leglike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of leg¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English, from Old Norse leggr, akin to Greek láx, lágdēn “with the foot”

Word History and Origins

Origin of leg¹

C13: from Old Norse leggr, of obscure origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pull someone's leg,

   1. to make fun of someone; tease.

   2. to deceive someone; trick someone.

      She thought someone was pulling her leg when she got the call from the Nobel Committee.

2. 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.

3. leg it, to walk rapidly or run.

   We'd better leg it or we'll be late for class.

4. 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.

5. on one's / its last legs, just short of exhaustion, breakdown, failure, etc..

   The aristocracy was on its last legs.

6. leg up,

   1. a means of help or encouragement; assist; boost.

      Studying the material with a tutor will give you a leg up on passing the exam.

   2. advantage; edge.

7. break a leg. break.

8. shake a leg,

   1. to hurry up.

      If you don't shake a leg, we'll miss the opening number.

   2. Older Use. to dance.

      The dance floor was flooded with couples shaking a leg to the loud and lively music.

More idioms and phrases containing leg

• arm and a leg
• break a leg
• on one's last legs
• pull someone's leg
• shake a leg
• stretch one's legs
• tail between one's legs
• without a leg to stand on

Example Sentences

Throughout his career, Ovechkin largely dodged serious injury until last November, when he fractured his fibula after getting clipped in the leg by an opposing defender.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Even before the Fever shut Clark down for good, as she struggled through leg and groin injuries, her numbers cratered.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

His wife insisted on an ultrasound, which showed a clot in his leg.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Along the way, some data providers have shifted away from trying to forecast government numbers, and giving traders a leg up in markets, toward trying to better understand the economy.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The latest leg of the rally began in August, when Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaled that the central bank was ready to begin cutting interest rates in an economy with low unemployment and above-target inflation.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• lap 
• limb 
• part 
• pole 
• stage