leap

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the distance leaped (or to be leaped)

   a leap of 10 feet

2. 2
   noun

   an abrupt transition

   a successful leap from college to the major leagues

3. 3
   verb

   pass abruptly from one state or topic to another

   leap into fame

4. 4
   verb

   To jump.

   It is grete nede a man to go bak to recouer the better his leep

5. 5
   verb

   To pass over by a leap or jump.

   to leap a wall or a ditch

6. 6
   verb

   To copulate with (a human)

   go leap her, and engender young devilings

7. 7
   verb

   To cause to leap.

   to leap a horse across a ditch

8. 8
   noun

   The act of leaping or jumping.

   He made a leap across the river.

Etymology

From Middle English lepen, from Old English hlēapan, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaupan, from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną. Doublet of lope, lowp, elope, gallop, galop, interlope, and loop. Cognate with North Frisian laap, luup, luupe (“to jog, run, walk”), Saterland Frisian lope, loope (“to run”), West Frisian ljeppe (“to jump”), Dutch lopen (“to run; to walk”), German laufen (“to run; to walk”), Limburgish loupe (“to jog, run, walk”), Low German lopen, loupen (“to run”), Luxembourgish lafen (“to run”), Vilamovian łaojfa (“to run”), Danish løbe (“to run”), Faroese leypa (“to jump”), Icelandic hlau…