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. legs, Slang. 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 ²( def 1 ).

verb (used with object)

, legged, leg·ging.

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

   They legged the boat through the tunnel.

verb phrase

1. to help (someone) to mount a horse.

leg.

²

abbreviation for

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 ) crural

      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. give someone a leg up
    1. to help someone to climb an obstacle by pushing upwards
    2. to help someone to advance
15. have legs informal.
    to be successful or show the potential to succeed
16. not have a leg to stand on
    to have no reasonable or logical basis for an opinion or argument
17. on its last legs
    worn out; exhausted
18. pull someone's leg informal.
    to tease, fool, or make fun of someone
19. shake a leg informal.
    1. to hurry up: usually used in the imperative
    2. to dance
20. show a leg informal.
    to get up in the morning
21. stretch one's legs
    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. leg it informal.
   to walk, run, or hurry

leg.

²

abbreviation for

1. legato

Derived Forms

• ˈlegˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• legless adjective
• leglike 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. leg it, Informal. to walk rapidly or run:

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

2. 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.
3. 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.

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

   The aristocracy was on its last legs.

5. 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.

6. shake a leg, Informal.
   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.

7. 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.

8. break a leg. break ( def 113 ).

More idioms and phrases containing leg

In addition to the idiom beginning with leg , also see 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

That part of the leg, they say, is where fibular reduction among some dinosaurs tens of millions of years ago helped make it possible for peacocks to strut, penguins to waddle, and turkeys to trot.

From Science Daily

"The fibula is, in general, the more diminutive of the two lower leg bones, and often neglected in the study of vertebrate form and function," said Bhart-Anjan Bhullar, associate professor of Earth and planetary sciences in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, associate curator at the Yale Peabody Museum, and co-author of the study.

From Science Daily

They also collected X-ray videos from an iguana and an alligator and examined the shapes of leg bones in other birds, including a penguin, an ostrich, an owl, and a crane.

From Science Daily

"We found that the very features that appeared in early dinosaurs to stiffen the leg ended up being co-opted in birds and their close relatives to mobilize the knee joint in a unique and extreme way," Bhullar said.

From Science Daily

Further issues included a spinal tumor removal in 2005 and related leg problems, resulting in Saafir using a wheelchair for most of the last decade.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• lap
• limb
• part
• pole
• stage