leet

¹ American  

[leet] / lit /

noun

British Obsolete.

1. a special annual or semiannual court in which the lords of certain manors had jurisdiction over local disputes.

2. the area over which this jurisdiction extended, including the manor itself and, sometimes, nearby counties or shires.

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leet ² American  

[leet] / lit /

noun

1. Digital Technology. leetspeak.

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leet ¹ British  

/ liːt /

noun

1. Also called: court-leet.  a special kind of manorial court that some lords were entitled to hold

2. the jurisdiction of this court

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leet ² British  

/ liːt /

noun

1. short for leetspeak

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adjective

1. impassioned about and highly skilled in the field of advanced computer programming

leet ³ British  

/ liːt /

noun

1. a list of candidates for an office

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Etymology

Origin of leet¹

1400–50; late Middle English lete meeting (of law court) < Anglo-French lete and Anglo-Latin leta (both perhaps < Old English gelǣte meeting of roads; compare wætergelǣt watercourse)

Origin of leet²

First recorded in 1990–95; by shortening

Example Sentences

Pentatonix’s video of “White Winter Hymnal” has been seen more than 96 million times on YouTube; F leet Foxes’ own video, a Claymation scene made by Robin’s brother, Sean, has 23 million views.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 20, 2021

The ball sailed 380 leet into the right field bull pen for a home run, his second of the afternoon.

From Time Magazine Archive

The deacon was in great spirits, and told the treasurer, whom he visited as soon as his triumph was secure, that, if not cut off the list in shortening the leet, his election was sure.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 5 by Various

At metë wel i-taught was sche withalle; Sche leet no morsel from hire lippës falle, Ne wette hire fyngres in hire saucë deepe.

From Six Centuries of English Poetry Tennyson to Chaucer by Baldwin, James

The portreeve, constable, headborough, bailiff, or other the chief executive magistrate, was elected or presented by the leet jury.

From View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages, Vol. 3 by Hallam, Henry