leg

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the nautical distance traveled by a sailing vessel on a single tack

   The first leg of the journey was rough on the crew.

2. 2
   noun

   A limb or appendage that an animal uses for support or locomotion on land.

   Insects have six legs.

3. 3
   noun

   In humans, the lower limb extending from the groin to the ankle.

   Dan won't be able to come to the party, since he broke his leg last week and is now on crutches.

4. 4
   noun

   A part of garment, such as a pair of trousers/pants, that covers a leg.

   The left leg of these jeans has a tear.

5. 5
   noun

   A rod-like protrusion from an inanimate object, such as a piece of furniture, supporting it from underneath.

   the legs of a chair or table

6. 6
   noun

   Something that supports.

   This observation is an important leg of my argument.

7. 7
   noun

   A stage of a journey, race etc.

   After six days, we're finally in the last leg of our cross-country trip.

8. 8
   noun

   A single game or match played in a tournament or other sporting contest.

   A stunning performance from the Republic of Ireland all but sealed progress to Euro 2012 as they crushed nine-man Estonia 4-0 in the first leg of the qualifying play-off tie in A Le Coq Arena in Tallinn.

Etymology

From Middle English leg, legge, from Old Norse leggr (“leg, calf, bone of the arm or leg, hollow tube, stalk”), from Proto-Germanic *lagjaz, *lagwijaz (“leg, thigh”) (see it for more). Cognate with Scots leg (“leg”), Icelandic leggur (“leg, limb”), Norwegian Bokmål legg (“leg”), Norwegian Nynorsk legg (“leg”), Swedish lägg (“leg, shank, shaft”), Danish læg (“leg”), Lombardic lagi (“thigh, shank, leg”), Latin lacertus (“limb, arm”), Persian لنگ (leng). Upon borrowing, mostly displaced the native Old English term sċanca (Modern English shank).