leap

[ leep ]

/ lip /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR leap ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), leaped or leapt, leap·ing.

to spring through the air from one point or position to another; jump: to leap over a ditch.

to move or act quickly or suddenly: to leap aside; She leaped at the opportunity.

to pass, come, rise, etc., as if with a jump: to leap to a conclusion; an idea that immediately leaped to mind.

verb (used with object), leaped or leapt, leap·ing.

to jump over: to leap a fence.

to pass over as if by a jump.

to cause to leap: to leap a horse.

noun

a spring, jump, or bound; a light, springing movement.

the distance covered in a leap; distance jumped.

a place leaped or to be leaped over or from.

a sudden or abrupt transition: a successful leap from piano class to concert hall.

a sudden and decisive increase: a leap in the company's profits.

Nearby words

leaning tower of pisa, leaning tower of pisa, the, leanly, leanness, leant, leap, leap day, leap in the dark, leap of faith, leap second, leap year

Idioms

by leaps and bounds, very rapidly: We are progressing by leaps and bounds.

leap in the dark, an action of which the consequences are unknown: The experiment was a leap in the dark.

leap of faith, an act or instance of accepting or trusting in something that cannot readily be seen or proved.

Origin of leap

before 900; Middle English lepen, Old English hlēapan to leap, run; cognate with German laufen, Old Norse hlaupa, Gothic hlaupan

SYNONYMS FOR leap

1 bound. See jump.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR leap ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsleap·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for leap

Peter Christopherson made the leap to life on the bandstand and became a pioneer in the industrial music genre.
The Golden Age of Rock Album Covers|Ted Gioia|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Another common prank was to spin the cannon in the direction of the major, causing him to leap out of the way.
Stonewall Jackson, VMI’s Most Embattled Professor|S. C. Gwynne|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was a small step in learning to stick to my guns, but a leap in my comprehension of phonetics.
‘Sesame Street’ Is Middle-Aged and Awesome|Emily Shire|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But in this case the leap from the known to the unknown is extreme.
Can Anyone Make Space Safe for Civilians?|Clive Irving|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Obviously, Sister Cristina had a change of heart—or a leap of faith.
What Does a Pop-Star Nun Sing? Madonna’s ‘Like A Virgin,’ Of Course|Barbie Latza Nadeau|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This time he did not regain his poise, but with a movement that seemed half a leap, half a fall, launched himself into mid-air.
Hour of Enchantment|Roy J. Snell
The leap of something within her and the stir of her being toward him must be sinful.
The Game|Jack London
And, on the other hand, she saw Bruce leap up to the very apex of popularity.
Counsel for the Defense|Leroy Scott
It was "no Curtius leap, but mutton madness," and the hotheads are compared to the Gadarene swine.
Mr. Punch's History of Modern England Vol. III of IV|Charles L. Graves
Never but once was recorded so frightful a leap as that of Tabaro and his four companions.
The Spanish Pioneers|Charles F. Lummis

British Dictionary definitions for leap

leap

/ (liːp) /

verb leaps, leaping, leapt or leaped

(intr) to jump suddenly from one place to another

(intr often foll by at) to move or react quickly

(tr) to jump over

to come into prominence rapidlythe thought leapt into his mind

(tr) to cause (an animal, esp a horse) to jump a barrier

noun

the act of jumping

a spot from which a leap was or may be made

the distance of a leap

an abrupt change or increase

Also called (US and Canadian): skip music a relatively large melodic interval, esp in a solo part

a leap in the dark an action performed without knowledge of the consequences

by leaps and bounds with unexpectedly rapid progress

Derived Formsleaper, noun

Word Origin for leap

Old English hlēapan; related to Gothic hlaupan, German laufen

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for leap (1 of 2)

leap

c.1200, from Old English hleapan "to jump, run, leap" (class VII strong verb; past tense hleop, past participle hleapen), from Proto-Germanic *khlaupan (cf. Old Saxon hlopan, Old Norse hlaupa, Old Frisian hlapa, Dutch lopen, Old High German hlouffan, German laufen "to run," Gothic us-hlaupan "to jump up"), of uncertain origin, with no known cognates beyond Germanic. Leap-frog, the children's game, is attested by that name from 1590s; figurative use by 1704.

First loke and aftirward lepe [proverb recorded from mid-15c.]

Related: Leaped; leaping.

Word Origin and History for leap (1 of 2)

leap

c.1200, from Old English hliep, hlyp (West Saxon), *hlep (Mercian, Northumbrian) "a leap, bound, spring, sudden movement; thing to leap from;" common Germanic (cf. Old Frisian hlep, Dutch loop, Old High German hlouf, German lauf); from the root of leap (v.). Leaps has been paired with bounds since at least 1720.

Idioms and Phrases with leap

leap

In addition to the idioms beginning with leap

leap in the dark
leap of faith

also see:

by leaps and bounds
look before you leap
quantum leap

Also see underjump.

leap

verb (used without object), leaped or leapt, leap·ing.

verb (used with object), leaped or leapt, leap·ing.

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of leap

Examples from the Web for leap

British Dictionary definitions for leap

leap

verb leaps, leaping, leapt or leaped

noun

Word Origin for leap

Word Origin and History for leap (1 of 2)

leap

Word Origin and History for leap (1 of 2)

leap

Idioms and Phrases with leap

leap