[leech] n [ME leche, fr. OE laece; akin to OHG lahhi physician] (bef. 12c) 1 archaic: physician, surgeon
2. [fr. its former use by physicians for bleeding patients]: any of numerous carnivorous or bloodsucking usu. freshwater annelid worms (class Hirudinea) that have typically a flattened lanceolate segmented body with a sucker at each end
3: a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain syn see parasite -- leech.like adj
[2]leech vt (1828) 1: to bleed by the use of leeches
2: to drain the substance of: exhaust ~ vi: to attach oneself to a person as a leech [3]leech n [ME leche, fr. MLG lik boltrope--more at ligature] (15c) 1: either vertical edge of a square sail
2: the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail