leaf

leaf
I. noun (plural leaves; also leafs) Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English leef, from Old English lēaf; akin to Old High German loub leaf Date: before 12th century 1. a. (1) a lateral outgrowth from a plant stem that is typically a flattened expanded variably shaped greenish organ, constitutes a unit of the foliage, and functions primarily in food manufacture by photosynthesis (2) a modified leaf (as a bract or sepal) primarily engaged in functions other than food manufacture b. (1) foliage <
trees in full leaf
> (2) the leaves of a plant as an article of commerce 2. something suggestive of a leaf: as a. a part of a book or folded sheet containing a page on each side b. (1) a part (as of window shutters, folding doors, or gates) that slides or is hinged (2) the movable parts of a table top c. (1) a thin sheet or plate of any substance ; lamina (2) metal (as gold or silver) in sheets usually thinner than foil (3) one of the plates of a leaf spring • leafless adjective • leaflike adjective II. verb Date: 1611 intransitive verb 1. to shoot out or produce leaves <
will leaf out in spring
> 2. to turn over pages especially to browse or skim <
leaf through a book
> transitive verb to turn over the pages of

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Leaf — (l[=e]f), n.; pl. {Leaves} (l[=e]vz). [OE. leef, lef, leaf, AS. le[ a]f; akin to S. l[=o]f, OFries. laf, D. loof foliage, G. laub, OHG. loub leaf, foliage, Icel. lauf, Sw. l[ o]f, Dan. l[ o]v, Goth. laufs; cf. Lith. lapas. Cf. {Lodge}.] 1. (Bot.) …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Leaf — (v. altengl. leaf „Blatt“) steht für: Leaf (Unternehmen), einen niederländischen Süßwarenhersteller Leaf (Label), ein britisches Independent Label The Album Leaf, ein amerikanisches Musikprojekt Leaf (Spieleentwickler), einen japanischen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • leaf — [lēf] n. pl. leaves [ME lefe < OE leaf, akin to Du loof, Ger laub < IE base * leubh , to peel off, pull off > Lith lupù, to skin, pare off] 1. any of the flat, thin, expanded organs, usually green, growing laterally from the stem or twig …   English World dictionary

  • Leaf — Leaf, Leaf out Leaf out(l[=e]f), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Leafed} (l[=e]ft); p. pr. & vb. n. {Leafing}.] To shoot out leaves; to produce leaves; to leave; as, the trees leaf in May. Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • leaf — ► NOUN (pl. leaves) 1) a flattened, typically green, structure of a plant, that is attached to a stem and is the chief site of photosynthesis and transpiration. 2) the state of having leaves: the trees were in leaf. 3) a single thickness of paper …   English terms dictionary

  • leaf|y — «LEE fee», adjective, leaf|i|er, leaf|i|est. 1. having many leaves; covered with leaves, especially broad leaves: »the leafy woods. 2. resembling a leaf; …   Useful english dictionary

  • leaf — [n1] green foliage of plant blade, bract, flag, foliole, frond, leaflet, needle, pad, petal, petiole, scale, stalk, stipule; concept 428 leaf [n2] page of document folio, paper, sheet; concept 270 leaf [v] flip through browse, dip into, glance …   New thesaurus

  • leaf — The noun has the plural form leaves, and the verb has inflected forms leafs, leafed, leafing (He was leafing through a book) …   Modern English usage

  • leaf|er|y — «LEE fuhr ee, LEEF ree», noun, plural er|ies. = leafage. (Cf. ↑leafage) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Leaf — For other uses, see Leaf (disambiguation). The leaves of a Beech tree …   Wikipedia

  • leaf — leafless, adj. leaflike, adj. /leef/, n., pl. leaves /leevz/, v. n. 1. one of the expanded, usually green organs borne by the stem of a plant. 2. any similar or corresponding lateral outgrowth of a stem. 3. a petal: a rose leaf. 4. leaves… …   Universalium

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