I. ˈlēg sometimes ˈlig noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English lege, from Late Latin leuga, leuca, of Gaulish origin; akin to the source of Old English lēowe league
1. : any of various units of distance from about 2.4 to 4.6 statute miles ; especially : an English unit of about three miles — see land league , marine league
2. : any of various units of land area equal to a square league (as an old Spanish unit equal to 4439 acres or 1796 hectares used in the old California surveys and an old Texas unit equal to 4428.4 acres or 1792.1 hectares)
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English (Scots) ligg, from Middle French ligue, from Old Italian liga, from ligare to bind, from Latin — more at ligature
1.
a. : an agreement or covenant made between two or more nations, heads of state, or other political entities to achieve cooperatively a desired end
leagues are commonly made for mutual defense — Thomas Hobbes
the league is between states of unequal quality — Sir Walter Scott
b. : an association or combination of nations or other political entities formed by such an agreement or covenant
the economic and social work of the League of Nations — Mary E. Bradshaw
the Political Committee of the Arab League — H.L.Hoskins
Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and New Haven united in a league of friendship — W.S.Sayre
— compare alliance , confederation , entente
c. : an association of persons or groups united by common interests or for the achievement of common ends
the organization of leagues for bowling and softball — Robert Hazel
playwrights and musicians organize themselves into leagues of authors, composers, and performers — Thomas Munro
specifically : an association of baseball clubs — see major league , minor league
d. : an informal and often tentative compact or alliance — usually used in the phrase in league
privately in league with some particularly unsavory crooks — John Brooks
entirely in league with her mother to embarrass me — Lloyd Alexander
2. : a class or category of a particular quality or rank
a bit out of your league , though — Hugh Cave
my sons are not in the same league with me when it comes to building a campfire — Hodding Carter
don't make me laugh, I'm not in your league — Robert De Vries
had no idea your folks were in that sort of league — Louis Auchincloss
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to unite in a league : combine for mutual support
we four were leagued together by a tacit treaty — C.E.Montague