| leap | 1. To pass over by a leap or jump; as, to leap a wall, or a ditch. 2. To copulate with (a female beast); to cover. 3. To cause to leap; as, to leap a horse across a ditch. 1. A basket. 2. A weel or wicker trap for fish. Origin: AS. Leap. 1. To spring clear of the ground, with the feet; to jump; to vault; as, a man leaps over a fence, or leaps upon a horse. " Leap in with me into this angry flood." (Shak) 2. To spring or move suddenly, as by a jump or by jumps; to bound; to move swiftly. Also Fig. "My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky." (Wordsworth) Origin: OE. Lepen, leapen, AS. Hleapan to leap, jump, run; akin to OS. Ahlpan, OFries. Hlapa, D. Loopen, G. Laufen, OHG. Louffan, hlauffan, Icel. Hlaupa, Sw. Lopa, Dan. Lobe, Goth. Ushlaupan. Cf. Elope, Lope, Lapwing, Loaf to loiter. 1. The act of leaping, or the space passed by leaping; a jump; a spring; a bound. "Wickedness comes on by degrees, . . . And sudden leaps from one extreme to another are unnatural." (L'Estrange) "Changes of tone may proceed either by leaps or glides." (H. Sweet) 2. Copulation with, or coverture of, a female beast. 3. <chemical> A fault. 4. A passing from one note to another by an interval, especially by a long one, or by one including several other and intermediate intervals. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| leapfrog position | A stooping position, such as that taken by children in playing leapfrog, assumed for rectal examination. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leaping | From Leap, to jump. Leaping house, a brothel. Leaping pole, a pole used in some games of leaping. <zoology> Leaping spider, a jumping spider; one of the Saltigradae. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |