dead legn.
/ˈdɛd ˌlɛɡ/, U.S. /ˈdɛd ˌlɛɡ/, Irish English /ˈdɛd ˌlɛɡ/ (in sense 3 also)Brit. /ˌdɛd ˈlɛɡ/, U.S. /ˌdɛd ˈlɛɡ/, Irish English /ˌdɛd ˈlɛɡ/ British and Irish English.
1. Plumbing. A length of pipe between a hot-water cylinder and a hot tap, in which standing water cools when the tap is off, wasting water and energy.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > conveyor > [noun] > conduit, channel, or tube > pipe > for water > types of
suspiral1420
quillc1433
boss?1521
susper1532
fountain-pipe1664
pump log1816
wash-out1903
tie-line1949
dead leg1953
1953 D. G. E. Axford Low Pressure Hot Water Heating ii. i. 55 Local water regulations invariably set a limit to the length of dead legs.
1982 E. Hall David & Charles Man. Home Plumbing v. 98/2 Dead legs should be as short as possible and the storage cylinder should be situated close to the hot tap which is in most constant use.
1998 This Caring Business Feb. 2/3 [An] engineering consultant who will quote DO8 at you, HS (G) TO, deadlegs and mixer valves.
2. slang. Usually in form deadleg. An idle or worthless person; a dead-beat, a ‘loser’.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > [noun] > worthlessness > good-for-nothing person
brethelingc1275
filec1300
dogc1330
ribald1340
waynouna1350
waster1352
lorel1362
losel1362
land-leaper1377
triflera1382
brothelc1390
javelc1400
leftc1400
lorerc1400
shackerellc1420
brethel1440
never-thrift1440
vagrant1444
ne'er-thrifta1450
never-thrivinga1450
nebulona1475
breelc1485
naughty pack?1534
brathel1542
carrion1547
slim1548
unsel155.
pelf1551
shifterc1562
rag1566
wandrel?1567
land-loper1570
nothing-worth1580
baggage1594
roly-poly1602
bash-rag1603
arrant1605
ragabash?1609
flabergullion1611
hilding1611
hard bargain1612
slubberdegullion1612
vauneant1621
knick-knacker1622
idle-pack1624
slabberdegullion1653
thimble-maker1654
whiffler1659
never-do-well1664
good-for-nought1671
ne'er-be-good1675
shack1682
vagabond1686
shabaroon1699
shag-bag1699
houndsfoot1710
ne'er-do-well1737
trumpery1738
rap1742
hallion1789
scamp1808
waffie1808
ne'er-do-good1814
vaurien1829
sculpin1834
shicer1846
good-for-nothing1847
wastrel1847
scallywag1848
shack-bag1855
beat1865
toe-rag1875
rodney1877
toe-ragger1896
low-lifer1902
punk1904
lowlife1909
ringtail1916
git1939
no-hoper1944
schlub1950
piss artist1962
dead leg1964
1964 A. Prior Z Cars Again iv. 30 I don't mind dealing with villains, tealeaves and general deadlegs all day.
1977 J. Rosenthal Spend, Spend, Spend in Bar Mitzvah Boy & Other Television Plays (1987) 169 You'll get your beer and Woodbines, you bloody deadleg! I won't see you short.
1990 ‘J. Gash’ Very Last Gambado (1991) xv. 132 A film team made up of deadlegs plodding through the undefined screenplay of a failed writer is heading for certain ruin, no?
1995 Guardian 22 Dec. ii. 20/2 Fleck is an emotional deadleg, a compulsive labeller and filer.
3. colloquial. A temporarily numb and weak leg, usually one deliberately caused by a kick or blow, esp. of a person's knee to another's thigh. Frequently in to give (a person) a dead leg. Cf. dead-leg v.
ΚΠ
1987 Grimsby Evening Tel. 1 Dec. 14/1 Striker Marc North came off with a deadleg, as did utility man Ian Toale, whose groin also began hurting again.
1993 R. Doyle Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (1994) 4 I got Sinbad back for it; I gave him a dead leg.
2001 P. Marber Howard Katz 32 They'd steal my bag, hit me, gimme a dead leg, you know?
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2003; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
<
n.1953