Leg

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Leg, n. [Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. læg calf of the leg, Sw. lägg.].

•  A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot.  [1913 Webster]
•  That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or dividers.  [1913 Webster]
•  The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.  [1913 Webster]
•  A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing.  [1913 Webster]

  "He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received."  [1913 Webster]
•  A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg.  [1913 Webster]
•  The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks.  [1913 Webster]
•  An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; -- called also water leg.  [1913 Webster]
•  The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets.  [1913 Webster]
•  A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter.  [1913 Webster]
•  Either side of a triangle distinguished from the base or, in a right triangle, from the hypotenuse; also, an indefinitely extending branch of a curve, as of a hyperbola.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A branch or lateral circuit connecting an instrument with the main line.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A branch circuit; one phase of a polyphase system.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

A good leg (Naut.), a course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course. -- Leg bail, escape from custody by flight. [Slang] -- Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) (Geom.), the branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely. -- Legs of a triangle, the sides of a triangle; -- a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypothenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle. On one's legs, standing to speak. -- On one's last legs. See under Last. -- To have legs (Naut.), to have speed.<-- also, to have endurance, to continue longer than usual. --> -- To stand on one's own legs, to support one's self; to be independent.

Leg, v. t. 

 To use as a leg, with it as object  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Leg, n. & v.
--n.
1 a each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands. b the part of this from the hip to the ankle.
2 a leg of an animal or bird as food.
3 an artificial leg (wooden leg).
4 a part of a garment covering a leg or part of a leg.
5 a a support of a chair, table, bed, etc. b a long thin support or prop, esp. a pole.
6 Cricket the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) in which the striker's feet are placed (opp. OFF).
7 a a section of a journey. b a section of a relay race. c a stage in a competition. d one of two or more games constituting a round.
8 one branch of a forked object.
9 Naut. a run made on a single tack.
10 archaic an obeisance made by drawing back one leg and bending it while keeping the front leg straight.
--v.tr. (legged, legging) propel (a boat) through a canal tunnel by pushing with one's legs against the tunnel sides.

Idiom

feel (or find) one's legs become able to stand or walk. give a person a leg up help a person to mount a horse etc. or get over an obstacle or difficulty. have the legs of be able to go further than. have no legs colloq. (of a golf ball etc.) have not enough momentum to reach the desired point. keep one's legs not fall. leg before wicket Cricket (of a batsman) out because of illegally obstructing the ball with a part of the body other than the hand. leg break Cricket
1 a ball which deviates from the leg side after bouncing.
2 such deviation. leg-bye see BYE(1). leg-cutter Cricket a fast leg break. leg-iron a shackle or fetter for the leg. leg it colloq. walk or run hard. leg-of-mutton sail a triangular mainsail. leg-of-mutton sleeve a sleeve which is full and loose on the upper arm but close-fitting on the forearm. leg-pull colloq. a hoax. leg-rest a support for a seated invalid's leg. leg-room space for the legs of a seated person. leg-show a theatrical performance by scantily-dressed women. leg slip Cricket a fielder stationed for a ball glancing off the bat to the leg side behind the wicket. leg spin Cricket a type of spin which causes the ball to deviate from the leg side after bouncing. leg stump Cricket the stump on the leg side. leg theory Cricket bowling to leg with fielders massed on that side. leg trap Cricket a group of fielders near the wicket on the leg side. leg warmer either of a pair of tubular knitted garments covering the leg from ankle to thigh. not have a leg to stand on be unable to support one's argument by facts or sound reasons. on one's last legs near death or the end of one's usefulness etc.
on one's legs
1 (also on one's hind legs) standing esp. to make a speech.
2 well enough to walk about. take to one's legs run away.

Derivative

legged adj. (also in comb.). legger n.

Etymology

ME f. ON leggr f. Gmc

THESAURUS

Leg

ambulate, ankle, appendage, arm, assist, bayonet legs, boost, bough, bowlegs, branch, break, breast, broken circuit, calf, chicken foot, circuit, circuital field, circumambulate, closed circuit, cnemis, complete circuit, course, crossing, cruise, dark meat, dead circuit, drumstick, foot, foot it, foreleg, galvanic circuit, gamb, gambrel, giblets, gigot, ham, hand, helping hand, hind leg, hock, hoof it, hot circuit, imp, jamb, jaywalk, jog on, joint, knee, lateral circuit, leg it, leg up, lift, limb, link, live circuit, lobe, lobule, loop, magnetic circuit, member, microcircuit, multiple circuit, multiple series, neck, ocean trip, offshoot, organ, oyster, pace, pad, pale, palisade, passage, path, pedestrianize, peg, perambulate, peripateticate, picket, pile, pinion, podite, popliteal space, printed circuit, ramification, run, runner, sail, scion, scissor-legs, sea trip, series multiple, shakedown cruise, shank, shin, short, short circuit, shuffle along, spile, spray, sprig, spur, stake, stems, step, stride, stump it, stumps, switch, tail, tarsus, tendril, thigh, traipse, tread, trotters, turkey foot, twig, vector field, voyage, walk, white meat, wing, wishbone

ROGET THESAURUS

Leg

Thief

N thief, robber, homo triumliterarum, pilferer, rifler, filcher, plagiarist, spoiler, depredator, pillager, marauder, harpy, shark, land shark, falcon, mosstrooper, bushranger, Bedouin, brigand, freebooter, bandit, thug, dacoit, pirate, corsair, viking, Paul Jones, buccaneer, buccanier, piqueerer, pickeerer, rover, ranger, privateer, filibuster, rapparee, wrecker, picaroon, smuggler, poacher, abductor, badger, bunko man, cattle thief, chor, contrabandist, crook, hawk, holdup man, hold-up, jackleg, kidnaper, rustler, cattle rustler, sandbagger, sea king, skin, sneak thief, spieler, strong-arm man, highwayman, Dick Turpin, Claude Duval, Macheath, footpad, sturdy beggar, cut purse, pick purse, pickpocket, light-fingered gentry, sharper, card sharper, skittle sharper, thimblerigger, rook, Greek, blackleg, leg, welsher, defaulter, Autolycus, Jeremy Diddler, Robert Macaire, artful dodger, trickster, swell mob, chevalier d'industrie, shoplifter, swindler, peculator, forger, coiner, fence, receiver of stolen goods, duffer, smasher, burglar, housebreaker, cracksman, magsman, Bill Sikes, Jack Sheppard, Jonathan Wild, gang, gang of thieves, theft ring, organized crime, mafia, the Sicilian Mafia, the mob, la cosa nostra, Dillinger, Al Capone, Robin Hood.

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.