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leg

leg

20 1.0
Meat from the thigh or hind part of an animal
  • noun
  • /lɛg/
: pierna
  • I ordered a roasted leg of lamb for dinner, which was tender and flavorful.
  • chicken leg

Oh, yeah, I need a crab leg up here at the front.

Examples

  • With lightning speed, Mrs. Murphy grabbed the chicken leg as Tucker knocked the fat kitty off balance.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Similarly, pieces of chicken leg are stewed with canned peas and soy sauce.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Take the crab leg like such.

  • Look at those chicken legs.

  • So today we are having a roast duck leg with Sandy Toxic.

  • A carving knife slices through leg of lamb on the kitchen table.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The restaurant's special today is a grilled leg of chicken served with vegetables.

  • At the market, I saw fresh legs of crab displayed on ice, ready for purchase.

Synonyms

hind leg
vsleg
19 1.0

A back leg on a four-legged animal that helps it walk or jump

is the general term for any such limb used as food
thigh
vsleg
11 1.4

The upper part of a bird's leg usually eaten as meat

is the general term for any such limb used as food
leg of lamb
vsleg
8 1.0

A back leg of a young sheep cooked and served as a roast

is the general term for any such limb used as food
drumstick
vsleg
6 1.6

The lower leg of a cooked bird like chicken that people eat

is the general term for any such limb used as food
turkey leg
vsleg
5 1.0

The lower part of a turkey that people cook and eat

is the general term for any such limb used as food
chicken leg
vsleg
5 1.0

The lower part of a chicken that people eat

is the general term for any such limb used as food
frog legs
vsleg
5 3.4

Back legs of frogs cooked and eaten as food that taste like chicken

is the general term for any such limb used as food
haunch
vsleg
2 8.3

The back upper leg area of an animal often used as meat

is the general term for any such limb used as food
1 1.0

The lower part of a chicken's leg that people cook and eat

is the general term for any such limb used as food
hindquarter
vsleg
  • Specialized
1 7.3

The back part of an animal used for meat like steaks

is the general term for any such limb used as food
hind limb
vsleg
1 3.2

A back leg on an animal that helps it walk or jump

is the general term for any such limb used as food
1 1.5

The lower part of a turkey's leg that people cook and eat

is the general term for any such limb used as food
shin
vsleg
  • UK
1 5.8

A piece of meat from the lower leg of a cow used for stews

is the general term for any such limb used as food
hindlimb
vsleg
  • Specialized
1 4.9

A back leg of an animal often used for walking or jumping

is the general term for any such limb used as food
shin bone
vsleg
  • UK
4.2

A cut of meat from the lower leg often used for stews

is the general term for any such limb used as food

Idioms

17 4.1

To tell someone something that is not true to make them laugh

to break a leg
  • Informal
16 6.3

To wish someone good luck before a performance

an arm and a leg
  • Informal
12 5.8

A very high cost that needs a lot of money

To have a good reason or proof to support your claim

4 8.0

To show that famous people are ordinary like everyone else

to shake a leg
  • Archaic
3 6.5

To hurry when someone tells you to

1 7.9

Have no good reason or evidence to support a claim

To tease someone by saying something that is not true as a joke

Speak with someone for a very long time until they get tired

To be ordinary like other people

to show a leg
  • Archaic
1 9.5

To come out and join other people

To lie to someone in an obvious way while expecting them to believe it

Compounds

leg up
  • Informal
30 3.4

A form of help or small advantage that makes reaching a goal easier

19 1.0

A back leg on a four-legged animal that helps it walk or jump

16 1.2

The part of trousers that covers one leg

11 3.8

A leg made of wood that replaces a missing one

8 1.0

A back leg of a young sheep cooked and served as a roast

5 2.7

A bone in the leg like the femur or tibia

5 1.0

The lower part of a turkey that people cook and eat

5 1.0

The lower part of a chicken that people eat

2 1.4

The part of a pair of pants that covers one leg

2 7.1

Legs that curve outward below the knee so the knees stay apart when the feet are together

leg day
  • Jargon
1 5.5

A day for exercising the lower body with moves like squats and lunges

1 2.0

An exercise that makes leg muscles stronger and firmer

leg curl
  • Specialized
1 3.5

An exercise that bends the knee to lift the lower leg toward the buttocks and work the hamstrings

leg-pull
  • Archaic
1 7.1

A joke that tries to make someone believe a false story for fun

milk leg
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A painful swelling in the leg after childbirth caused by a blood clot

1 1.0

A part of an animal's body used to stand on and move

leg-pulling
  • Informal
1 7.0

An act of joking to make someone believe something not true

1 8.1

A long thin leg that looks like a pole

leg extensor
  • Specialized
1 6.0

An exercise done on a machine that makes the front thigh muscles stronger by straightening the knee

A cricket dismissal when a batsman's leg blocks the ball from hitting the stumps and the umpire signals out

leg curling
  • Specialized
1 3.5

An exercise that strengthens the muscles at the back of the thigh by bending the knee against a weight

8.4

A pommel horse move where both legs swing together in a circle while the hands switch on the handles

bandy leg
  • Archaic
8.8

A leg that curves outward at or below the knee

A piece of clothing that covers the lower leg from the knee to the ankle

odd-leg caliper
  • Specialized
8.5

A tool with two legs curved the same way used to mark or measure distances on flat metal

white leg
  • Archaic
9.8

A painful swelling in the upper leg caused by a blood clot after giving birth

How Tender

loin
13 4.3
rack of lamb
9 3.4
cut of lamb
1 2.5
leg
20 1.0
shoulder
5 5.3

Surface Forms

leg singular
legs plural

Etymology

Leg meaning the meat from an animal comes from the same idea—the cooked piece is the animal's limb, so a 'leg of lamb' is literally the lamb's leg used as food.