leech

leech
I. noun Etymology: Middle English leche, from Old English lǣce; akin to Old High German lāhhi physician Date: before 12th century 1. archaic physician, surgeon 2. [from its former use by physicians for bleeding patients] any of numerous carnivorous or bloodsucking usually freshwater annelid worms (class Hirudinea) that have typically a flattened lanceolate segmented body with a sucker at each end 3. a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain Synonyms: see parasite • leechlike adjective II. verb Date: 1641 transitive verb 1. to bleed by the use of leeches 2. to drain the substance of ; exhaust intransitive verb to attach oneself to a person as a leech III. noun also leach Etymology: Middle English leche; akin to Middle Low German līk boltrope Date: 15th century 1. either vertical edge of a square sail 2. the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Leech — steht für: leech, englisch für Leechen Leech Records, Schweizer Independent Plattenlabel Leech Lake, Stausee im US Bundesstaat Minnesota Leech ist der Familienname folgender Personen: John Leech (Karikaturist) (1817–1864), britischer Zeichner und …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • 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 — Leech, n. [OE. leche, l[ae]che, physician, AS. l[=ae]ce; akin to Fries. l[=e]tza, OHG. l[=a]hh[=i], Icel. l[ae]knari, Sw. l[ a]kare, Dan. l[ae]ge, Goth. l[=e]keis, AS. l[=a]cnian to heal, Sw. l[ a]ka, Dan. l[ae]ge, Icel. l[ae]kna, Goth. l[=e]kin[ …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Leech — Leech, n. [Cf. LG. leik, Icel. l[=i]k, Sw. lik boltrope, st[*a]ende liken the leeches.] (Naut.) The border or edge at the side of a sail. [Written also {leach}.] [1913 Webster] {Leech line}, a line attached to the leech ropes of sails, passing up …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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 — Leech, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Leeched} (l[=e]cht); p. pr. & vb. n. {Leeching}.] 1. To treat as a surgeon; to doctor; as, to leech wounds. [Archaic] [1913 Webster] 2. To bleed by the use of leeches. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Leech — (l[=e]ch), n. See 2d {Leach}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Leech — Leech, v. t. See {Leach}, v. t. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • leech — [li:tʃ] n [: Old English; Origin: lAce] 1.) a small soft creature that fixes itself to the skin of animals in order to drink their blood 2.) someone who takes advantage of other people by taking their money, food etc ▪ The family began to see him …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • leech — leech·dom; leech; …   English syllables

  • leech — ► NOUN 1) a parasitic or predatory worm with suckers at both ends, formerly used in medicine for bloodletting. 2) a person who extorts profit from or lives off others. ► VERB (leech on/off) ▪ habitually exploit or rely on. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

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