Leash
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /liËʃ/
- Rhymes: -iËʃ
Origin
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), from Latin laxa ("thong, a loose cord"), feminine form of laxus ("loose"); compare lax.
Full definition of leash
Noun
leash
(plural leashes)- A strap, cord or rope with which to restrain an animal, often a dog.
- Shakespearelike a fawning greyhound in the leash
- A brace and a half; a tierce.
- A set of three; three creatures of any kind, especially greyhounds, foxes, bucks, and hares; hence, the number three in general.
- 1597, , by ShakespeareSirrah, I am sworn brother to a leash of drawers; and can call them all by their Christian names, as, Tom, Dick, and Francis.
- 1663, Hudibras, by Samuel Butler, part 1,It had an odd promiscuous tone,
As if h' had talk'd three parts in one;
Which made some think, when he did gabble,
Th' had heard three labourers of Babel;
Or Cerberus himself pronounce
A leash of languages at once. - Ben JonsonI kept my chamber a leash of days.
- TennysonThen were I wealthier than a leash of kings.
- A string with a loop at the end for lifting warp threads, in a loom.
- (surfing) A leg rope.1980: Probably the idea was around before that, but the first photo of the leash in action was published that year — As Years Roll By (1970's Retrospective), Drew Kampion, Surfing (magazine) magazine, February 1980, page 43. Quoted at surfresearch.com.au glossaryhttp://www.surfresearch.com.au/agl.html.
Verb
- To fasten or secure with a leash.
- (figuratively) to curb, restrain
- 1919, Boris Sidis, :Man is brow-beaten, leashed, muzzled, masked, and lashed by boards and councils, by leagues and societies, by church and state.