leash

American  

[leesh] / liʃ /

noun

leashes plural

1. a chain, strap, etc., for controlling or leading a dog or other animal; lead.

2. check; curb; restraint: a tight leash on one's subordinates.

   to keep one's temper in leash;

   a tight leash on one's subordinates.

3. Hunting. a brace and a half, as of foxes or hounds.

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verb (used with object)

leashes, present (3rd person singular) leashed, past participle, past leashing present participle

1. to secure, control, or restrain by or as if by a leash.

   to leash water power for industrial use.

2. to bind together by or as if by a leash; connect; link; associate.

leash British  

/ liːʃ /

noun

1. a line or rope used to walk or control a dog or other animal; lead

2. something resembling this in function

   he kept a tight leash on his emotions

3. hunting three of the same kind of animal, usually hounds, foxes, or hares

4. eagerly impatient to begin something

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verb

1. (tr) to control or secure by or as if by a leash

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• leashes
  plural

Participles

• leashing
  present
• leashed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• leash
  simple
• leashes
  simple
• have leashed
  perfect
• has leashed
  perfect
• am leashing
  progressive
• are leashing
  progressive
• is leashing
  progressive
• have been leashing
  perfect progressive
• has been leashing
  perfect progressive

Past

• leashed
  simple
• had leashed
  perfect
• was leashing
  progressive
• were leashing
  progressive
• had been leashing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will leash
  simple
• will have leashed
  perfect
• will be leashing
  progressive
• will have been leashing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of leash

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English lesh, variant of lece, lese, from Old French laisse; see lease ¹

Explanation

Dog owners who live in the city need a leash, a rope or cord attached to the dog's collar that helps his owner keep him safe and restrained. When you walk a dog, you hold his leash to guide him along the sidewalk and keep him from chasing squirrels into busy streets. The word leash is also useful for describing a figurative kind of guide or restraint: "The teachers at that school keep their students on a short leash when they take field trips downtown." The students aren't on actual leashes, but they are constrained. Leash comes from the Old French word laissier, or "loose."

Example Sentences

Among the revisions: new bans on jaywalking, walking pets without a leash and smoking while driving.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Sri Lanka's police kennels department was mobilised to ensure that local street dogs did not attack Aloka, who was led on a leash held by an army commando.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

They use borrowed money and have risk managers who keep them on a tight leash.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

A puppy is getting a new leash on life after being rescued with life-threatening facial injuries in Pasadena.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Nadia pulls on Rootbeer’s leash and reaches her key toward Seth Mnookin’s apartment door, but suddenly the dog isn’t lunging at the corner.

From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins

Related Words

• cord
• rope
• strap
• tether