leg

leg one of the paired limbs of an animal used for support of the body and for locomotion. Properly, the human leg is that portion of the extremity between the foot and the thigh. This section of the human leg contains two long bones, the tibia and the fibula. The upper end of the tibia joins with the lower end of the thighbone (femur) and forms a hinged joint. The kneecap (patella), a flat triangular-shaped bone, surrounds and protects this joint. The lower end of both tibia and fibula join with the talus, a bone in the foot, to form the ankle joint. The upper end of the femur, which is the longest bone in the body, forms a ball and socket joint where it meets the hipbone. In quadrupeds, both the hind and fore limbs are referred to as legs.

leg / leg/ • n. 1. each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands: Adams broke his leg he was off as fast as his legs would carry him [as adj.] a leg injury. ∎  a leg of an animal or bird as food: a roast leg of lamb. ∎  a part of a garment covering a leg or part of a leg: his trouser leg. ∎  (legs) inf. used to refer to the sustained popularity or success of a product or idea: some books have legs; others don't. 2. each of the supports of a chair, table, or other piece of furniture: table legs. ∎  a long, thin support or prop: the house was set on legs. 3. a section or stage of a journey or process: the return leg of his journey. ∎  Sailing a run made on a single tack. ∎  (in soccer and other sports) each of two games constituting a round of a competition. ∎  a section of a relay or other race done in stages: one leg of its race around the globe. ∎  a single game in a darts match. 4. a branch of a forked object. 5. (also leg side) Cricket the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball.The opposite of off. 6. archaic an obeisance made by drawing back one leg and bending it while keeping the front leg straight. • v. (legged / ˈlegd/ , leg·ging ) [tr.] 1. (leg it) inf. travel by foot; walk. ∎  run away: he legged it after someone shouted at him. 2. chiefly hist. propel (a boat) through a tunnel on a canal by pushing with one's legs against the tunnel roof or sides. PHRASES: feel (or find) one's legs become able to stand or walk. leg up help to mount a horse or high object: give me a leg up over the wall. ∎  help to improve one's position: the council is to provide a financial leg up for the club. not have (the) legs (of a ball, esp. in golf) not have sufficient momentum to reach the desired point. not have a leg to stand on have no facts or sound reasons to support one's argument or justify one's actions. on one's last legs near the end of life, usefulness, or existence: the foundry business was on its last legs.DERIVATIVES: leg·ged / ˈlegid/ adj. [in combination] a four-legged animal. leg·ger n. [in combination] a three-legger.