leash

B2 Topic:Animals

US /ˈliːʃ/ UK /liːʃ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like lease /s/ vs /ʃ/ Sounds like leach /tʃ/ vs /ʃ/

Freq #9452

Meanings

1

noun
A strap, cord, or rope used to hold and control an animal, especially a dog.

Please keep your dog on a leash in the park.
2

verb
To control or hold an animal with a leash.

She leashed the puppy before the walk.
3

verb
To hold back or restrain something.

He struggled to leash his anger during the meeting.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a strap, cord, or rope used... lead tether

2 verb · to control or hold an... rope

3 verb · to hold back or restrain... restrain curb

Opposites

unleash

Word family

Forms leashes

Derived forms leashlessleashlikeoff-leashon-leashunleashable

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

long leash
A relatively large amount of freedom from close supervision or control.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English leesshe, leysche, lesshe, a variant of more original lease, from Middle English lees, leese, leece, lese, from Old French lesse (modern French laisse), either from Latin laxa, feminine form of laxus (“loose”) or, more probably, from a deverbal of Old French lesser, laissier, from Latin laxāre (“loose”); compare lax. Doublet of laisse.

leesshe Middle English lees Middle English lesse Middle English laxa Latin lesser Old French laxō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Animals

External links

# leash

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈliːʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /liːʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 9452

## Meanings
1. A strap, cord, or rope used to hold and control an animal, especially a dog.
2. To control or hold an animal with a leash.
3. To hold back or restrain something.

## Examples
- Please keep your dog on a leash in the park.
- She leashed the puppy before the walk.
- He struggled to leash his anger during the meeting.

## Antonyms
- unleash

## Derived Forms
- leashless
- leashlike
- off-leash
- on-leash
- unleashable

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: leesshe
- Root: lees
- Root: lesse
- Root: laxa
- Root: lesser
- Root: laxō

## Etymology
From Middle English leesshe, leysche, lesshe, a variant of more original lease, from Middle English lees, leese, leece, lese, from Old French lesse (modern French laisse), either from Latin laxa, feminine form of laxus (“loose”) or, more probably, from a deverbal of Old French lesser, laissier, from Latin laxāre (“loose”); compare lax. Doublet of laisse.

## AI Etymology
Leash comes from Middle English leesshe, leysche, lesshe, a variant of more original lease, from Middle English lees, leese, leece, lese, from Old French lesse (modern French laisse), either from Latin laxa, feminine form of laxus (“loose”) or, more probably, from a deverbal of Old French lesser, laissier, from Latin laxāre (“loose”); compare lax. Doublet of laisse. The historical line also includes laxō.

## Topics
- Animals

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