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leaf
1[ leef ]
noun
- one of the expanded, usually green organs borne by the stem of a plant.
- any similar or corresponding lateral outgrowth of a stem.
- a petal:
a rose leaf.
- leaves collectively; foliage.
- Bibliography. a unit generally comprising two printed, blank, or illustrated pages of a book, one on each side.
- a thin sheet of metal:
silver leaf.
- a lamina or layer.
- a sliding, hinged, or detachable flat part, as of a door or tabletop.
- a section of a drawbridge.
- a single strip of metal in a leaf spring.
- a tooth of a small gear wheel, as of a pinion.
- Textiles. shaft ( def 14 ).
verb (used without object)
- to put forth leaves.
- to turn pages, especially quickly (usually followed by through ):
to leaf through a book.
verb (used with object)
- to thumb or turn, as the pages of a book or magazine, in a casual or cursory inspection of the contents.
Leaf
2[ leef ]
noun
- Mun·ro [muhn-, roh], 1905–76, U.S. author and illustrator of books for children.
leaf
/ liːf /
noun
- the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants, usually consisting of a flat green blade attached to the stem directly or by a stalk foliarfoliate
- foliage collectively
- in leaf(of shrubs, trees, etc) having a full complement of foliage leaves
- one of the sheets of paper in a book
- a hinged, sliding, or detachable part, such as an extension to a table
- metal in the form of a very thin flexible sheet
gold leaf
- a foil or thin strip of metal in a composite material; lamina
- short for leaf spring
- the inner or outer wall of a cavity wall
- a crop that is harvested in the form of leaves
- a metal strip forming one of the laminations in a leaf spring
- a slang word for marijuana
- take a leaf out of someone's book or take a leaf from someone's bookto imitate someone, esp in one particular course of action
- turn over a new leafto begin a new and improved course of behaviour
verb
- whenintr, usually foll by through to turn (through pages, sheets, etc) cursorily
- intr (of plants) to produce leaves
leaf
/ lēf /
- An appendage growing from the stem of a plant. Leaves are extremely variable in form and function according to species. For example, the needles of pine trees, the spines of cacti, and the bright red parts of the poinsettia plant are all leaves modified for different purposes. However, most leaves are flat and green and adapted to capturing sunlight and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. They consist of an outer tissue layer (the epidermis) through which water and gases are exchanged, a spongy inner layer of cells that contain chloroplasts, and veins that supply water and minerals and carry out food. Some leaves are simple, while others are compound, consisting of multiple leaflets. The flat part of the leaf, the blade, is often attached to the stem by a leafstalk.
Derived Forms
- ˈleafˌlike, adjective
- ˈleaflessness, noun
- ˈleafless, adjective
Other Words From
- leafless adjective
- leaflike adjective
- un·leaf verb (used with object)
- un·leaflike adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of leaf1
Word History and Origins
Origin of leaf1
Idioms and Phrases
- in leaf, covered with foliage; having leaves:
the pale green tint of the woods newly in leaf.
- take a leaf out of / from someone's book, to follow someone's example; imitate:
Some countries that took a leaf out of American industry's book are now doing very well for themselves.
- turn over a new leaf, to begin anew; make a fresh start:
Every New Year's we make resolutions to turn over a new leaf.
More idioms and phrases containing leaf
In addition to the idiom beginning with leaf , also see quake in one's boots (like a leaf) ; take a leaf out of someone's book ; turn over a new leaf .Example Sentences
Thankfully, the chore of keeping your property looking great is made easier with a leaf blower.
The Leaf has been around for nearly a decade, but many reviewers still think the base model cuts a few too many corners to hit a lower price point.
With most recreational pleasures put on pause for men in these communities, women who aren’t sellers are hopeful that their husbands will turn over a new leaf, say activists.
To test a link between leaf biting and pollen shortages, the researchers did a caged-bee test.
The notion that bee damage to a leaf could jump-start flowering originally struck Mark Mescher as a long shot.
A lot of us Republicans are having trouble getting the leaf blower started.
Where does this “Arab Tea Leaf” come from, according to the talking heads?
Grown in the jungle by the indigenous Kichwa, guayusa (gwhy-you-sa) is a sacred leaf used in ceremonial rituals.
Obviously, I buy in bulk and I buy from a specialty gold leaf wholesaler on the West Coast.
Or is Rand co-opting them by merely using his newfound adviser as a fig leaf?
Not a zephyr ruffled the leaf of a rose, and a soft breathing fragrance bathed his reposing senses.
Hitherto, I have not given the subject much consideration, but I turn over a new leaf from the date of this adventure.
Virginia leaf still continues to flourish, and to-day it is the great agricultural product of the State.
I suppose Grandfather Mole has taken my advice and turned over a new leaf.
When rapidly deposited, as by artificial precipitation, triple phosphate often takes feathery, star- or leaf-like forms.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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