by leaps and bounds
7
3.5
- idiom
- Informal
:
rápidamente
- The technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, making daily tasks much easier.
- grew by leaps and bounds
- increased by leaps and bounds
We are the largest financial donor to the UN by leaps and bounds.
- We are the largest financial donor to the UN by leaps and bounds.
- But because the bus industry was growing by leaps and bounds.
Examples
-
"Composting is growing by leaps and bounds," he says.
Academic text (1995) -
Your strength is growing by leaps and bounds.
Fiction book (1995) -
We could progress by leaps and bounds.
-
This place is growing by leaps and bounds.
-
If they work hard, the country can progress by leaps and bounds.
Academic text (2018) -
It's going to grow by leaps and bounds.
Fiction book (1994) -
So you guys are growing by leaps and bounds over at Rumble.
-
Dr. Evil, over the last 30 years, Virtucon has grown by leaps and bounds.
-
Over the last thirty years, Virtucon has grown by leaps and bounds.
Fiction book (1997) -
Over the last thirty years, both scholarly and popular interest in American Indian spirituality has increased by leaps and bounds.
Academic text (1998)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
At a fast speed or without delay
446
1.4
In a very short time
84
1.0
Quickly and smoothly
38
3.5
To a great degree and in an impressive way
11
7.3
In a quick and efficient way
Antonyms
How Fast
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase builds transparently on the literal senses of 'leap' and 'bounds' (both denote large jumps), so a learner who knows those words can plausibly infer the image of making big jumps and thus rapid or large progress. However, the adverbial, idiomatic usage 'by leaps and bounds' is a conventionalized metaphor and may not be fully predictable without prior exposure, so it is not completely transparent.
Etymology
The idiom by leaps and bounds comes from the picture of moving forward in big jumps, with large leaps and bounds that let someone cover a lot of ground quickly. That's why it means 'very quickly and by a lot'.