league

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A group or association of cooperating members.

   the League of Nations

2. 2
   noun

   An organization of sports teams which play against one another for a championship.

   My favorite sports organizations are the National Football League and the American League in baseball.

3. 3
   noun

   Ellipsis of rugby league.

   Are you going to watch the league tonight?

4. 4
   noun

   A class or type of people or things that are evenly matched or on the same level.

   Forget about dating him; he's out of your league.

5. 5
   verb

   To form an association; to unite in a league or confederacy; to combine for mutual support.

   Out of my sight, thou Serpent, that name best Befits thee with him leagu'd.

6. 6
   noun

   The distance that a person can walk in one hour, commonly taken to be approximately three English miles (about five kilometers).

   Thenne kynge Mark and sir Dynadan rode forth a four leges englysshe tyl that they came to a brydge where houed a knyght on horsbak armed and redy to Iuste. "Then King Mark and Sir Dinadan rode forth a four leagues English, till that they came to a bridge where hoved a knight on horseback, armed and ready to joust."

7. 7
   name

   Ellipsis of League of Nations.

   The League was hampered by the U.S.'s refusal to join and its member states' unwillingness to impose sanctions on foreign countries.

8. 8
   noun

   an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

Etymology

From Middle English lege (“league”), from Late Latin leuca, leuga (“the Gaulish mile”), from Gaulish, from Proto-Celtic *lougā (compare Middle Breton leau, lew, Breton lev / leo (“league”)). Doublet of legua.