leap

[ leep ]

/ lip /

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See synonyms for: leap / leaped / leaping / leapt on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), leaped or leapt [lept, leept], /lɛpt, lipt/, 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 [lept, leept], /lɛpt, lipt/, 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.

SYNONYMS FOR leap

1 bound.

See synonyms for leap on Thesaurus.com

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The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.

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Idioms for leap

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

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

synonym study for leap

1. See jump.

OTHER WORDS FROM leap

leaper, noun

Words nearby leap

Leaning Tower of Pisa, lean on, lean over backwards, leant, lean-to, leap, leap day, leapfrog, leapfrog test, leap in the dark, leapling

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for leap

With this deal, Ambani has taken a giant leap in the retail sector, leaving behind all domestic and international rivals, including Amazon, led by the world’s richest man Jeff Bezos.
Ambani versus Bezos: Who’s winning the battle for India’s $700 billion retail industry|Niharika Sharma|August 31, 2020|Quartz
Even if the available evidence matches both theories, one requires less of a leap.
An Alternative to Dark Matter Passes Critical Test|Charlie Wood|July 28, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Third baseman Yoan Moncada and starter Lucas Giolito took big leaps last season, while left fielder Eloy Jiménez and maybe even highly touted Cuban prospect Luis Robert seem poised to do the same this year.
Baseball Will Be Weird This Year. But The Astros And Yankees Are Favorites In The American League … Again.|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|July 21, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The discovery of the new tetraquark is a huge leap forward, and is an indication that there are still many new exotic particles out there, waiting for someone to unveil them.
CERN: Physicists Report the Discovery of Unique New Particle|Harry Cliff|July 15, 2020|Singularity Hub

Normally we’re kind of chipping away at the problem as opposed to making such a giant leap forward.
A Surprise Discovery Points to the Source of Fast Radio Bursts|Shannon Hall|June 11, 2020|Quanta Magazine
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
Hot orange flames leap into the sky bringing with them the sickening, inescapable stench of death.
Rage Against the Ebola Crematorium|Abby Haglage|November 11, 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
She would let him run about for a few moments and then she would leap upon him as if she had nearly lost him.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Suddenly his quick eye lit on something in the gravel path and his heart gave a great leap.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
I sprang forward to leap after her, but hands grasped me and flung me back so violently that I fell down on the platform.
Uncanny Tales|Various
This had the effect of causing the fourth lion to break cover and leap upon a rock as the first had done.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
Thus age and avarice can always over-leap barriers which, to the young and romantic, are insurmountable.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie

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 forms of leap

leaper, 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

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.

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leap

verb (used without object), leaped or leapt [lept, leept], /lɛpt, lipt/, leap·ing.

verb (used with object), leaped or leapt [lept, leept], /lɛpt, lipt/, leap·ing.

noun

SYNONYMS FOR leap