I. ˈlēp, dial or sometimes with reference to manege in Brit speech ˈlep verb
( leaped also leapt ˈlēpt, chiefly Brit ˈlept ; leaped also leapt ; leaping ; leaps )
Etymology: Middle English lepen to run, jump, leap, from Old English hlēapan; akin to Middle Dutch lopen to run, Old High German hlouffan to run, Old Norse hlaupa to jump, leap, Gothic us hlaupan to jump up
intransitive verb
1. : to run hastily or with a leaping gait : rush , bound
leaped home to greet his father
leaped into the fray
2.
a.
(1) : to spring free from the ground or some other supporting surface by the muscular action of the feet and legs or in some animals the tail : project oneself through the air : hop , vault
leaped high into the air
leap over a fence
leap down from a wall
a fish leaped out of the water
leaped on a moving bus
leaped on his horse and rode off
(2) chiefly Scotland : to dance in skipping or bounding movements
(3) : to spring high from one foot to the other in dancing
(4) : to rise or throw itself into or through the air : move precipitately or violently
guns on the hillocks leaped as they bellowed — Kenneth Roberts
the great rocket leaped skyward
a tongue of flame leaped down the stairway — Frank Yerby
a sparkling waterfall leaps from a cliff — American Guide Series: Oregon
(5) : to rise to one's feet with a bound or other energetic movement
leaped up and asked the chairman some pointed questions
b. : to beat high : throb
my heart would have leaped at sight of him — Kenneth Roberts
3.
a. : to pass abruptly or without transition (as from one state or topic to another)
the states of Latin America have leaped … from the ox-drawn cart to the airplane — Vera M. Dean
made his face leap into a sudden grimacing life — Bruce Mason
leap irreverently from one trifling matter to another — H.A.Overstreet
b. : to increase suddenly and sharply
costs on a job leap entirely out of proportion — P.J.Adam
c. : to act or move precipitately or without careful thought or study (as in making judgments)
leap to conclusions
d. : to join, enter, or intervene with eagerness or alacrity
leaped to his absent friend's defense
leaped into the discussion
e. : to take quick or immediate advantage : accept eagerly — usually used with at
leaped at the chance
transitive verb
1.
a. : to pass over by a leap
leap a wall
leap a ditch
b. : to pass over as if by a leap
may be said to have leaped the usual transitional stages — American Guide Series: Vermont
2. : to copulate with : cover , serve — used of a male animal (as a stallion)
3. : to cause to leap
leap a horse across a ditch
Synonyms: see jump
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English leep, from Old English hlȳp; akin to Old English hlēapan to run, jump, leap
1.
a.
(1) : an act of leaping : spring , bound
(2) : a spring high into the air from one foot to the other in dancing
b.
(1) : a place that is or must be leaped over or one leaped from
took the leap with great ease
(2) : the distance covered by a leap
a leap of 10 feet
(3) : a place in a waterfall where fish can shoot up in ascending the stream
(4) : the sudden descent of a river to a lower level
five clear leaps with intervening cascades — Arthur Holmes
c.
(1) : an act of covering a female animal
(2) obsolete : an act of coitus
2.
a.
(1) : a sudden passage, transition, or change (as from one state to another)
made an abrupt and difficult leap from a Latin classroom to an editorial desk — E.S.McCartney
knowledge took a great leap forward — Stuart Chase
(2) : a choice exercised in the area of ultimate concerns : an existential decision
a leap of faith
b. : a skip in successive musical notes or tones
c. : a sharp or sudden increase
a leap of over 117 percent — Rex Lardner
Synonyms: see jump
•
- by leaps and bounds
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English leep basket, from Old English lēap; akin to Old Norse laupr basket, Old English lēaf leaf — more at leaf
1. dialect England : a basket or box used especially for chaff or seed
2. dialect England : weel