leap

Formsleaps, leaping, leaped

Pluralleaps

1. 1
   verbintransitive

   To jump up into the air or forward off the ground.

   Like a frog jumping high off the ground.

   Children leap over the puddles on their way to school.

   She leaped onto the stage when her name was called.

   Similarjump, spring, bound, vault, hop

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable

   A jump up or forward off the ground.

   With one big leap, she cleared the fence.

   The dog made a sudden leap toward the ball.

   Similarjump, bound, spring, vault

   Note
3. 3
   nounfigurativelycountable

   A big and important step forward in progress.

   Like jumping straight to the top of the stairs in one big step.

   The new medicine was a huge leap for cancer treatment.

   Getting electricity was a giant leap for the small village.

   Similaradvance, jump, breakthrough, step, stride

   Oppositesetback, regression

   Note
4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To jump over something.

   Like a frog jumping clear over a log.

   The horse easily leaped the low wall.

   She can leap the ditch without slowing down.

   Similarclear, jump, vault, hurdle

   Note
5. 5
   nouncountable

   How far someone or something jumps.

   Her leap measured almost two meters.

   The frog's leap was longer than its whole body.

   Similarjump

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To make a person or animal jump.

   Like pushing a toy so it jumps forward.

   She tries to leap her horse over the wide ditch.

   The riders leap their horses across the shallow stream.

   Similarjump

7. 7
   nounfigurativelycountable

   A big jump in thinking that the facts may not support.

   Like guessing the end of a story after reading only one page.

   Saying he's guilty just because he was late is a big leap.

   That's quite a leap from the little we actually know.

   Similarjump, stretch

   Note
8. 8
   adjective

   Having an extra day or month added to keep the calendar in step with the seasons.

   A leap year has 366 days instead of 365.

   February gets an extra day in a leap year.

   Similarintercalary

   Oppositecommon

   Note
9. 9
   nouncountable

   A move from one note to another that is far away, skipping the notes in between.

   Like skipping several stairs at once instead of stepping on each one.

   The song has a big leap from a low note to a high one.

   Singers need practice to hit a wide leap cleanly.

   Similarjump

   Oppositestep

   Note
10. 10
    nouncountable

    A small waterfall that fish try to jump over as they swim up a river.

    Like a step in a staircase that fish must jump up to keep going.

    Spawning salmon massed below the leap, waiting for a chance to jump.

    We watched dozens of fish struggle to clear the leap.

    Note

Showing meanings only. Show all 17