New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
medicinal leech — n a large European freshwater leech of the genus Hirudo (H. medicinalis) that is a source of hirudin, is now sometimes used to drain blood (as from a hematoma), and was formerly used to bleed patients thought to have excess blood * * * Hirudo… … Medical dictionary
medicinal leech — a bloodsucking leech, Hirudo medicinalis, of Europe, introduced into the northeastern U.S., usually green with brown stripes, up to 4 in. (10 cm) long: once used by physicians to bleed patients. [1885 90] * * * any of certain leech species… … Universalium
medicinal leech — medic′inal leech′ n. ivt a bloodsucking leech, Hirudo medicinalis, native to Europe, used historically by physicians to bleed patients • Etymology: 1885–90 … From formal English to slang
medicinal leech — noun large European freshwater leech formerly used for bloodletting • Syn: ↑Hirudo medicinalis • Hypernyms: ↑leech, ↑bloodsucker, ↑hirudinean • Member Holonyms: ↑Hirudo, ↑genus Hirudo … Useful english dictionary
Leech — /leech/, n. Margaret, 1893 1974, U.S. historian, novelist, and biographer. * * * Any annelid worm of the class Hirudinea (about 300 known species), with a small sucker containing the mouth at the front end and a large sucker at the back end.… … Universalium
LEECH — (Heb. עֲלוּקָה, AV, JPS: horseleech ), blood sucking worm. The aphorism in the Book of Proverbs (30:15) that the leech hath two daughters: Give, give refers to the two sucking disks on its head with which it adheres to its prey and sucks its… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
leech — leech1 leechlike, adj. /leech/, n. 1. any bloodsucking or carnivorous aquatic or terrestrial worm of the class Hirudinea, certain freshwater species of which were formerly much used in medicine for bloodletting. 2. a person who clings to another… … Universalium
leech — 1. A bloodsucking aquatic annelid worm (genus Hirudo, class Hirudinea) sometimes used in medicine for local withdrawal of blood.For various l. species, see Hirudo. 2. To treat … Medical dictionary
leech — leech1 noun 1》 a parasitic or predatory annelid worm with suckers at both ends, examples of which were formerly used in medicine for bloodletting. [Hirudo medicinalis (medicinal leech) and other species, class Hirudinea.] 2》 a person who extorts… … English new terms dictionary
leech — n. a type of worm that possesses suckers at both ends of its body. Leeches occur in tropical forests and grasslands and in water. Certain parasitic species suck blood from animals and humans, and their bites cause irritation and, in some cases,… … The new mediacal dictionary
