a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
"He limped down the hallway because he had twisted his leg while playing soccer."
a structure in animals that is similar to a human leg and used for locomotion
"The bird hopped awkwardly on its single broken leg while trying to reach the water."
one of the supports for a piece of furniture
"The wobbly table was fixed once I tightened the loose leg that had come unscrewed from its socket."
the limb of an animal used for food
"The butcher cut a fresh leg of lamb from the rack, promising it would be perfect for roasting."
a prosthesis that replaces a missing leg
"After his accident, he adjusted his new carbon-fiber leg before heading out for a morning walk."
a cloth covering consisting of the part of a pair of trousers that covers a person's leg
"She pulled her torn jeans down to reveal the beige stockings hidden underneath as a leg of her outfit."
(nautical) the distance traveled by a sailing vessel on a single tack
"After three hours of battling the crosswind, we finally completed our leg and turned the ship onto a new tack."
A limb or appendage that an animal uses for support or locomotion.
"The new bill was sent to Congress, and the other leg has already begun debating its provisions."
Abbreviation of legislature.
In plain English: A leg is one of the two parts of your body that connect your hip to your foot and help you walk.
"She broke her leg while skiing last weekend."
Usage: As a noun in everyday conversation, leg refers to the lower part of your body between the hip and the ankle, or alternatively to a supporting member of a piece of furniture. Do not use it as an abbreviation for legislature unless you are specifically referencing legislative bodies in formal contexts.
To remove the legs from an animal carcass.
"After butchering the pig, he spent the afternoon carefully legging it to prepare for the holiday feast."
In plain English: To leg someone means to help them escape quickly, usually by giving them a ride away from danger.
"He managed to leg it out of the room before the security guard arrived."
Usage: The verb leg means to remove the legs from a butchered animal, such as when preparing meat for cooking or processing. It is specific to this culinary or butchery context and should not be confused with the more common meanings of walking on or supporting a body part.
Abbreviation of legislative.
"The leg that drafted the new tax bill held a late-night session to finalize the details before midnight."
In plain English: Leg means something that is not straight or has been broken.
"The long leg table was perfect for our dining room."
Usage: Do not use "leg" as an adjective in standard English; instead, write out the full word "legislative" to describe laws or government bodies. The standalone term "leg" functions only as a noun referring to a body part or a support structure.
The word "leg" comes from the Old Norse word leggr, which originally meant a limb, bone, or hollow tube. It entered Middle English as leg and has since become the standard term for the body part in modern English.