LEG


Meaning of LEG in English

I. ˈleg also ˈlāg noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse leggr

Date: 14th century

1. : a limb of an animal used especially for supporting the body and for walking: as

a.

(1) : one of the paired vertebrate limbs that in bipeds extend from the top of the thigh to the foot

(2) : the part of such a limb between the knee and foot

b. : the back half of a hindquarter of a meat animal

c. : one of the rather generalized segmental appendages of an arthropod used in walking and crawling

2.

a. : a pole or bar serving as a support or prop

the leg s of a tripod

b. : a branch of a forked or jointed object

the leg s of a compass

3.

a. : the part of an article of clothing that covers the leg

b. : the part of the upper (as of a boot) that extends above the ankle

4. : obeisance , bow — used chiefly in the phrase to make a leg

5. : a side of a right triangle that is not the hypotenuse ; also : a side of an isosceles triangle that is not the base

6.

a. : the course and distance sailed by a boat on a single tack

b. : a portion of a trip : stage

c. : one section of a relay race

d. : one of several events or games necessary to be won to decide a competition

won the first two leg s of horse racing's Triple Crown

7. : a branch or part of an object or system

8. plural : long-term appeal or interest

a news story with leg s

• leg·less -ləs adjective

- a leg to stand on

- on one's last legs

II. intransitive verb

( legged ; leg·ging )

Date: 1601

: to use the legs in walking ; especially : run

III. abbreviation

1. legal

2. legato

3. legislative; legislature

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.