| 释义 |
leg
I. \ˈleg, ˈlāg\ noun
(-s)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English leg, legge, from Old Norse leggr leg, bone; akin to Old English līra fleshy part of the body, Old Norse lær thigh, Latin lacertus muscles, upper arm, lacerta lizard, Greek lax with the foot, Sanskrit ṛkṣalā foot joint of a hoofed animal
1. : one of the appendages of an animal that are used chiefly in supporting the body and in moving from point to point especially by walking: as
a.
(1) : one of the paired limbs of a vertebrate so used
< bipeds like man have two legs; quadrupeds have four >
— compare arm, wing
(2) : the part of such a limb between the knee and the foot — distinguished from thigh
b. : one of the paired jointed segmental appendages of an arthropod; especially : one of the rather generalized appendages used in walking or crawling
< a typical abdominal leg of a caterpillar consists of three parts — R.E.Snodgrass >
2. : something resembling an animal leg in form or use: as
a.
(1) : a pole or bar serving as a support (as in a tripod) or as a prop or shore (as to a ship or building)
< the four legs of each tower rest in large porcelain insulators — Scientific American >
(2) : something resembling or held to resemble such a support
< the third leg upholding this tripod of international economic cooperation — Paul Bareau >
b. : a contrivance or representation made to resemble or function especially as a human leg
< the unfortunate man wore a wooden leg >
c. : a support of a piece of furniture
< a chair leg >
< the table's single pedestal … branched into four legs — Adrian Bell >
d. : a branch of a forked or jointed object (as an instrument)
< the legs of a pair of compasses >
e. : a section of rope in a knot or a bridle
< the legs of a bowline >
< the towing stresses will be divided between the two legs of the bridle — Manual of Seamanship >
f. : a part of a structure
< a starting leg on the north side of a T-maze — Psychological Abstracts >
g. : the part of a plant stem between the base and the point from which branches arise
< the bush should have a 6 to 9 in. leg, free from growth — J.H.Watt >
3. : a cut of meat:
a. : the back half of a hindquarter of lamb, mutton, or veal — compare ham; see lamb illustration
b. : the drumstick of a fowl
4.
a. : the part of an article of clothing that covers the leg
< the legs of trousers >
< the leg of a stocking >
b. : the part of the upper of a boot that extends above the ankle
5. : a bow made by drawing one leg back and bending the other : obeisance, scrape — used chiefly in the phrase to make a leg
< they … stood up and made a leg respectfully in the direction of the Governor — Frank Yerby >
6. : either side of a triangle as distinguished from the base or hypotenuse
7. Britain : blackleg 2
< he was a horse chanter; he's a leg now — Charles Dickens >
8. or leg up : boost — often used in the phrase to give a leg up
< gave me my first leg to literary standing — W.A.White >
< the opportunity to give his profession a leg up — R.E.Garis >
< where … candidates need a leg up toward election — L.C.Wilson >
9.
a. : the portion of the on side of a cricket field that lies behind the batsman and between the boundary and the extended line of the popping crease
< trying to force a ball to leg — Ray Robinson >
b. : a fielding position on this side in cricket; also : a player fielding in this position — see long leg, short leg, square leg; cricket illustration
c. : guard covering the leg stump in cricket
10.
a. : the course and distance sailed by a boat on a single tack
< on the windward leg — H.A.Calahan >
< turn about on the next leg of her zigzag course to windward — N.D.Ford >
b.
(1) : a straight-line portion of a flight pattern or air route
< the pilot … flies a crosswind leg of half a mile — Joseph Bryan & P.G.Reed >
< turned onto the base leg, just before landing — Skyways >
(2) : beam 2e(2)
c. : a portion of an entire trip or distance : stage
< another leg of his continental journey — Publishers' Weekly >
< on the homeward leg of her … around-the-world tour — Anna Einarson >
d. : the portion of the total distance or course that each member of a relay team must complete
< swam his leg of the relay in 56 seconds flat — New York Times >
11. : the case containing the vertical part of the belt that carries the buckets in a grain elevator
12. : either of the two inclined sides of an anticlinal deposit
13.
a. : one of several (as three) events or games necessary to be won to decide a competition
< gained a leg on the trophy >
< his horse won the first two legs of the triple crown >
b. : either half of a double entry in betting (as the daily double)
14. : one of the two projecting parts of a structural-metal angle
15.
a. : a branch electrical circuit
b. : a phase of a polyphase system
16. : a branch of lateral circuit connecting a communications instrument with the main line
17. : a road radiating from an intersection of which it forms a part
< location of … service stations in the legs of interchanges — Globe and Mail >
18. : one of a pair of strips of material (as drapery) usually hung parallel to the proscenium arch to mask the extreme offstage sides of a set
19. : one link of several stations in a communications network
20. : division 2
< one leg of the deal violates the exchange control regulations — R.F.Mikesell >
•
- a leg to stand on
- on one's last legs
- on one's legs
II. verb
(legged ; legged ; legging ; legs)
intransitive verb
1. : to use the legs in walking; especially : walk fast : run
< he … legged after him — Elgar Dolson >
— often used with it
< I legged it out to the barn — New Yorker >
2. : to bestir oneself for someone or something
< three … Congressmen legged for moving the Supreme Court — Julien Hyer >
3. : to propel a boat through a canal tunnel by moving the feet against the top or sides
< we've the tunnel to leg through — C.S.Forester >
transitive verb
: to propel (a boat) through a canal tunnel by means of the legs
III. abbreviation
1. legal
2. legate; legation
3. legato
4. legend
5. legislation; legislative; legislature
6.
a. [Latin legit] he reads
b. [Latin legunt] they read
IV. noun
legs plural : long-term appeal or interest
< this thing has still got legs and it is almost 10 years later — George Stalk, Jr. > |