From Middle English lepen, from Old English hlēapan, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaupan, from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną. Doublet of lope, lowp, elope, gallop, galop, interlope, and loop.
Cognate with North Frisian laap, luup, luupe (“to jog, run, walk”), Saterland Frisian lope, loope (“to run”), West Frisian ljeppe (“to jump”), Dutch lopen (“to run; to walk”), German laufen (“to run; to walk”), Limburgish loupe (“to jog, run, walk”), Low German lopen, loupen (“to run”), Luxembourgish lafen (“to run”), Vilamovian łaojfa (“to run”), Danish løbe (“to run”), Faroese leypa (“to jump”), Icelandic hlaupa (“to run; to jump”), Norwegian Bokmål løpe (“to run”), Norwegian Nynorsk laupa, laupe, løpa, løpe (“to run”), Swedish löpa (“to run”), from Proto-Indo-European *klewb- (“to spring, stumble”) (compare Lithuanian šlùbti ‘to become lame’, klùbti ‘to stumble’).
Meanings
The act of leaping or jumping.
He made a leap across the river.
1877, Henry Sweet, A Handbook of Phonetics
Changes of tone may proceed either by leaps or glides.
Leaps from one Extream to Another , are Unnatural Motions in the Course of our lives and Humours 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
The distance traversed by a leap or jump.
(collective) A group of leopards.
I felt like the only one of my kind, and all around me were the other kids in their groups like herds of wildebeests and prides of lions and crashes of rhinos and unkindnesses of ravens and leaps of leopards and wrecks of sea hawks. 2017, Sandra Evans, This Is Not a Werewolf Story, page 22:
I can see it now... a leap of Leopards eating the carcass of a Longhorn out in the Vista.... 2005 July 23, Next Windows to be named "Vista".:
Manikanta returned to the palace riding on a royal tiger accompanied by a leap of leopards to the utter surprise of the inhabitants of Pantalam. 1970, The Calcutta Review, page 373:
Without the Chop Chop Chop Chop Cowville seems almost normal: no hover of helicopters, no leap of leopards. 2009, Cooper, The President's Dilemma: A Novel, page 131:
(figuratively) A significant move forward.
Since the arrival of mainstream pornography platforms in the early 2000’s and the rise in smartphone use, online pornography consumption has shown considerable year on year leaps. 2024 May 30, Germano Vera Cruz, Elias Aboujaoude, Magdalena Liberacka-Dwojak, Monika Wiłkość-Dębczyńska, Lucien Rochat, Riaz Khan, Yasser Khazaal, “How much online pornography is too much? A comparison of two theoretically distinct assessment scales”, in Archives of Public Health, volume 82, →DOI:
That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind. 1969 July 20, Neil Armstrong, as he became the first man to step on the moon:
(figuratively) A large step in reasoning, often one that is not justified by the facts.
It's quite a leap to claim that those cloud formations are evidence of UFOs.
A fault.
Copulation (by a male animal) with a female one.
Much difference of opinion exists as to the number of bullings a cow should receive. Here, I think, good judgment should be used. If the bull is cool and quiet, and some time has intervened since he had his last cow, one good leap is better than more […] 1865, British Farmer's Magazine, number 48, page 8:
A passing from one note to another by an interval, especially by a long one, or by one including several other intermediate intervals.
A small cataract over which fish attempt to jump; a salmon ladder.
He unfortunately persevered, and the cot veered round towards the fall of the leap, and was running fast towards the rapids, when Mr. Craven lost his self-possession, and jumped out to gain a rock within a length of him, but did not succe[e]d, and he sunk in a part of the river over the leap called the dancing-hole, from which he was never more seen to rise. The cot was dashed with violence against another rock […] 1837, The New Sporting Magazine, volume 12, page 358:
[…] where the Esk divides it in the middle, and forms a linn or leap, is named the How burn; […] 1868, John Marius Wilson, The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, page 24:
pdt Sprunk (the act of leaping — see also jump) · nl sprong (significant move forward) · pl skok (significant move forward) · ru прыжо́к (significant move forward) · ru прыжо́к (the act of leaping — see also jump) · vi thành tích (significant move forward) · pl krok (significant move forward) · gl salto (the act of leaping — see also jump) · az sıçrayış (significant move forward) · ro salt (the act of leaping — see also jump) · sv språng (the act of leaping — see also jump) · gl pincho (the act of leaping — see also jump) · ja 跳躍距離 (distance traversed by a leap) · pt salto (significant move forward) · de Sprung (significant move forward) · fi loikka (the act of leaping — see also jump) · sv hopp (the act of leaping — see also jump) · gd leum (the act of leaping — see also jump) · fi hyppy (significant move forward) · ru ры́во́к (significant move forward) · gl pulo (the act of leaping — see also jump) · sk pokrok (significant move forward) · fi hyppy (the act of leaping — see also jump) · da hop (the act of leaping — see also jump) · sv språng (significant move forward) · de Sprungweite (distance traversed by a leap) · nl sprong (the act of leaping — see also jump) · cs skok (the act of leaping — see also jump) · de Satz (significant move forward) · ja 躍進 (significant move forward) · hi छलांगना (the act of leaping — see also jump) · sk skok (significant move forward) · id lompatan (the act of leaping — see also jump) · da hop (significant move forward) · gd leum (distance traversed by a leap) · grc πήδημα (the act of leaping — see also jump) · pl sus (the act of leaping — see also jump) · ang hlīep (the act of leaping — see also jump) · az sıçrayış (the act of leaping — see also jump) · ru скачо́к (distance traversed by a leap) · it salto (the act of leaping — see also jump) · bg скок (significant move forward) · sv hopplängd (distance traversed by a leap) · da spring (significant move forward) · ja 跳躍 (the act of leaping — see also jump) · da spring (the act of leaping — see also jump) · izh hyppy (the act of leaping — see also jump) · ro săltare (the act of leaping — see also jump) · ru проры́в (significant move forward) · pl skok (the act of leaping — see also jump) · vi tiến bộ (significant move forward) · ru скачо́к (significant move forward) · es brinco (the act of leaping — see also jump) · gd leum (significant move forward) · el άλμα (the act of leaping — see also jump) · pl skok (distance traversed by a leap) · ru скачо́к (the act of leaping — see also jump) · fi hyppäys (significant move forward) · bg скок (the act of leaping — see also jump) · ja 飛躍 (significant move forward) · pt salto (the act of leaping — see also jump) · ca salt (the act of leaping — see also jump) · bg скок (distance traversed by a leap) · el άλμα (significant move forward) · sv språnglängd (distance traversed by a leap) · es salto (the act of leaping — see also jump) · gl chimpo (the act of leaping — see also jump) · fr bond (the act of leaping — see also jump) · de Sprung (the act of leaping — see also jump) · de Verwerfung (fault (mining)) · hi कूदना (the act of leaping — see also jump) · fr saut (the act of leaping — see also jump) · bg прескок (distance traversed by a leap) · sv hopp (significant move forward) · pt salto (distance traversed by a leap) · de Satz (the act of leaping — see also jump) · grc ἅλμα (the act of leaping — see also jump) · la saltus (the act of leaping — see also jump)
From Middle English lepen, from Old English hlēapan, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaupan, from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną. Doublet of lope, lowp, elope, gallop, galop, interlope, and loop.
Cognate with North Frisian laap, luup, luupe (“to jog, run, walk”), Saterland Frisian lope, loope (“to run”), West Frisian ljeppe (“to jump”), Dutch lopen (“to run; to walk”), German laufen (“to run; to walk”), Limburgish loupe (“to jog, run, walk”), Low German lopen, loupen (“to run”), Luxembourgish lafen (“to run”), Vilamovian łaojfa (“to run”), Danish løbe (“to run”), Faroese leypa (“to jump”), Icelandic hlaupa (“to run; to jump”), Norwegian Bokmål løpe (“to run”), Norwegian Nynorsk laupa, laupe, løpa, løpe (“to run”), Swedish löpa (“to run”), from Proto-Indo-European *klewb- (“to spring, stumble”) (compare Lithuanian šlùbti ‘to become lame’, klùbti ‘to stumble’).
Meanings
(intransitive) To jump.
It is grete nede a man to go bak to recouer the better his leep c. 1450, anonymous author, Merlin:
It is better to leap into the void. 1999, Ai, Vice: New & Selected Poems, page 78
“See you, one should not ask for outside proof—no, reason should be enough. But the flesh is weak, it is consolation to find that one is on the right track. Ah, my friend, I am like a giant refreshed. I run! I leap!” And, in very truth, run and leap he did, gambolling wildly down the stretch of lawn outside the long window. 1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 139:
I, I defie thee: wert not thou next him when he leapt into the Riuer? 1600, anonymous author, The wisdome of Doctor Dodypoll, act 4:
Th’ infernal monarch rear’d his horrid head, Leapt from his throne, lest Neptune’s arm should lay His dark dominions open to the day. 1783, Hugh Blair, from the “Iliad” in Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, lecture 4, page 65
(transitive) To pass over by a leap or jump.
to leap a wall or a ditch
Deep folly! yet that this could be—
That I could wing my will with might
To leap the grades of life and light,
And flash at once, my friend, to thee: […] 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XL”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 62:
(archaic, transitive) To copulate with (a female beast)
(archaic) To copulate with (a human)
go leap her, and engender young devilings 1616–1619 (first performance), John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, Nathan Field, “The Knight of Malta”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
jump (jump from one location to another) · spring (jump from one location to another) · spring (jump upwards) · hop (jump from one location to another) · jump (jump upwards) · hop (jump upwards) · bound (jump from one location to another) · bound (jump upwards)
Translations (139)
sa हठति (to jump — see also jump) · tr zıplamak (to jump — see also jump) · ga léim (to jump — see also jump) · oc sautar (to jump — see also jump) · mi peke (to jump — see also jump) · tl lumundag (to jump — see also jump) · nap zumpà (to jump — see also jump) · sk skákať (to jump — see also jump) · br lammat (to jump — see also jump) · hi कूदना (to jump — see also jump) · ru скака́ть (to jump — see also jump) · gl galgar (to jump — see also jump) · fo leypa (to jump — see also jump) · cmn 跳躍 /跳跃 (to jump — see also jump) · br sailhañ (to jump — see also jump) · pl przeskakiwać (to jump — see also jump) · da hoppe (to jump — see also jump) · fa جستن (to jump — see also jump) · eo eksalti (to jump — see also jump) · hy թռավ (to jump — see also jump) · sa प्रवते (to jump — see also jump) · el πάλλομαι (to jump — see also jump) · he קפץ (to jump — see also jump) · rup ansar (to jump — see also jump) · vi nhảy (lên, qua, ...) (to jump — see also jump) · ar وَثَبَ (to jump — see also jump) · ro sălta (to jump — see also jump) · ru пры́гнуть (to jump — see also jump) · ja 飛躍する (to jump — see also jump) · no hoppe (to jump — see also jump) · tr sıçramak (to jump — see also jump) · da springe (to jump — see also jump) · it saltare (to jump — see also jump) · id meloncat (to jump — see also jump) · no sprang (to jump — see also jump) · ro sări (to jump — see also jump) · id lompat (to jump — see also jump) · enm spryngen (to jump — see also jump) · fr bondir (to jump — see also jump) · ta தாவு (to jump — see also jump) · cs skočit (to jump — see also jump) · ka ხტომა (to jump — see also jump) · fo springa (to jump — see also jump) · mba lagso (to jump — see also jump) · pt saltar (to jump — see also jump) · wa såtler (to jump — see also jump) · ru вска́кивать (to jump — see also jump) · la saliō (to jump — see also jump) · ka ხტუნვა (to jump — see also jump) · ta பாய் (to jump — see also jump) · gd leum (to jump — see also jump) · mn үсрэх (to jump — see also jump) · mk отскокнува (to jump — see also jump) · nl huppen (to jump — see also jump) · cs přeskočit (to jump — see also jump) · fa سکیزیدن (to jump — see also jump) · fur saltâ (to jump — see also jump) · gl ralbar (to jump — see also jump) · fo støkka (to jump — see also jump) · grc ἅλλομαι (to jump — see also jump) · pl skakać (to jump — see also jump) · fo hoppa (to jump — see also jump) · es saltar (to jump — see also jump) · gl pular (to jump — see also jump) · de einen Satz machen (to jump — see also jump) · fr sauter (to jump — see also jump) · de springen (to jump — see also jump) · de hüpfen (to jump — see also jump) · gu કૂદવું (to jump — see also jump) · cmn 飛躍 /飞跃 (to jump — see also jump) · izh hypätä (to jump — see also jump) · zza tılobyayen (to jump — see also jump) · ota صچرامق (to jump — see also jump) · gl avantar (to jump — see also jump) · hy ցատկել (to jump — see also jump) · gl brincar (to jump — see also jump) · tr tüngümek (to jump — see also jump) · mi arawhiti (to jump — see also jump) · ang hlēapan (to jump — see also jump) · grc θρῴσκω (to jump — see also jump) · ka ხტუნაობა (to jump — see also jump) · ka ნახტომი (to jump — see also jump) · ru скакну́ть (to jump — see also jump) · el αναπηδώ (to jump — see also jump) · tl sumibol (to jump — see also jump) · pl przeskoczyć (to jump — see also jump) · wa zoupler (to jump — see also jump) · de bespringen (to copulate — see also copulate) · bgc डाक (to jump — see also jump) · ja 跳躍する (to jump — see also jump) · th เผ่น (to jump — see also jump) · fy ljeppe (to jump — see also jump) · id melompat (to jump — see also jump) · et hüppama (to jump — see also jump) · mt qabża (to jump — see also jump) · gu ઠેકવું (to jump — see also jump) · chr ᎠᎵᏔᏕᎦ (to jump — see also jump) · id loncat (to jump — see also jump) · no hopp (to jump — see also jump) · enm lepen (to jump — see also jump) · tl luksuhin (to jump — see also jump) · tl lumukso (to jump — see also jump) · sk skočiť (to jump — see also jump) · fy springe (to jump — see also jump) · ru пры́гать (to jump — see also jump) · lb sprangen (to jump — see also jump) · el πετάγομαι (to jump — see also jump) · oc saltar (to jump — see also jump) · tr atlamak (to jump — see also jump) · pl skoczyć (to jump — see also jump) · ca saltar (to jump — see also jump) · sv hoppa (to jump — see also jump) · hi उछलना (to jump — see also jump) · sk preskakovať (to jump — see also jump) · mn харайх (to jump — see also jump) · gl pinchar (to jump — see also jump) · tr fırlamak (to jump — see also jump) · sv springa (to jump — see also jump) · km បង្គ្រប់ (to jump — see also jump) · eu saltatu (to jump — see also jump) · nl wippen (to jump — see also jump) · fi hypätä (to jump — see also jump) · mi turapa (to jump — see also jump) · la circumsiliō (to jump — see also jump) · es brincar (to jump — see also jump) · sk preskočiť (to jump — see also jump) · fi loikata (to jump — see also jump) · rup sar (to jump — see also jump) · mk скокнува (to jump — see also jump) · ast saltar (to jump — see also jump) · wa potchî (to jump — see also jump) · fi ponnahtaa (to jump — see also jump) · el ξεπετάγομαι (to jump — see also jump) · nl springen (to jump — see also jump) · gl choutar (to jump — see also jump) · tr hoplamak (to jump — see also jump) · tl lundagin (to jump — see also jump) · grc πηδάω (to jump — see also jump) · bg скачам (to jump — see also jump)
From Middle English lep, from Old English lēap (“basket”), from Proto-West Germanic *laup, from Proto-Germanic *laupaz (“container, basket”). Cognate with Icelandic laupur (“basket”).
Meanings
A trap or snare for fish, made from twigs; a weely.