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leap
[leep]
verb (used without object)
to spring through the air from one point or position to another; jump.
to leap over a ditch.
Synonyms:to move or act quickly or suddenly.
to leap aside; She leaped at the opportunity.
to pass, come, rise, etc., as if with a jump.
to leap to a conclusion; an idea that immediately leaped to mind.
verb (used with object)
to jump over.
to leap a fence.
to pass over as if by a jump.
to cause to leap.
to leap a horse.
noun
a spring, jump, or bound; a light, springing movement.
the distance covered in a leap; distance jumped.
a place leaped or to be leaped over or from.
a sudden or abrupt transition.
a successful leap from piano class to concert hall.
a sudden and decisive increase.
a leap in the company's profits.
leap
/ ː /
verb
(intr) to jump suddenly from one place to another
to move or react quickly
(tr) to jump over
to come into prominence rapidly
the thought leapt into his mind
(tr) to cause (an animal, esp a horse) to jump a barrier
noun
the act of jumping
a spot from which a leap was or may be made
the distance of a leap
an abrupt change or increase
Also called (US and Canadian): skip.music a relatively large melodic interval, esp in a solo part
an action performed without knowledge of the consequences
with unexpectedly rapid progress
Other Word Forms
- leaper noun
- ˈ noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of leap1
Word History and Origins
Origin of leap1
Idioms and Phrases
leap in the dark, an action of which the consequences are unknown.
The experiment was a leap in the dark.
leap of faith, an act or instance of accepting or trusting in something that cannot readily be seen or proved.
by leaps and bounds, very rapidly.
We are progressing by leaps and bounds.
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
For her part, Patience tells Bea, “Your deductive leaps of logic can be haphazard and your notes are cursory,” but she admires her clearance rate, the best in the country.
A few players later, Adams crossed the field left to right and then extended his 6-foot-1 frame while leaping high to grab a pass over the middle for another significant gain.
Valid, but I believe those who make the leap will be happy in their investment, even if its lineup of exclusive games is relatively barren for now.
Nato needs a "quantum leap" in defence to deter threats to the alliance, its secretary general has said, as he called for Western allies to invest more in their armed forces.
Cholowsky leapt up from the ground, his teammates already celebrating at the center of the diamond.
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When To Use
To leap means to spring or jump from one point to another, as in Sophie leaped over the hole to avoid falling in. A leap is such a jump.To leap also means to move or act suddenly, as in Santiago leapt out of the way of the dogs running toward him. This action, too, is a leap.We use leap figuratively, as well. For example, we might call new software a leap forward in technology or say that a new band has leapt to the top of the charts. People often also leap to conclusions—that is, they make conclusions without hearing all the facts first. They are figuratively jumping over the facts to the conclusion.We can use leap and jump to mean the same things, but there is a bit of a difference. In a leap, the place you land is different from the place you started, while a jump can be straight up and straight back down.Leap appears in a few different idioms. If you’re doing something by leaps and bounds, it means you’re progressing quickly. A leap in the dark is an action with unknown consequences. A leap of faith is trusting in something that cannot be seen or proven. You might also say that your heart leapt into your throat, referring to the sensation in your throat when something scary happens.The past tense of leap can be either leaped or leapt.Example: The movable-type printing press was a great leap forward in technology.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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