Leap , n.
1. The act
of leaping, or the space
passed by leaping; a jump; a spring; a bound.
Wickedness comes on by degrees, . . . and sudden leaps from one extreme to another are unnatural.
L'Estrange. Changes of tone may proceed either by leaps or
glides.
H. Sweet. 2. Copulation with, or coverture of, a female beast.
3. (Mining) A fault.
4. (Mus.) A passing from one note to another by an
interval, especially
by a long one, or by one including several other and intermediate intervals.
Leap , v. t. 1. To
pass over by a leap or jump; as, to leap a
wall, or a ditch.
2. To copulate with (a female beast); to cover.
3. To cause to leap; as, to
leap a horse across a ditch.
Leap (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaped (?), rarely Leapt; p. pr.
& vb. n. Leaping.]
[OE. lepen, leapen, AS. hleápan to leap, jump,
run; akin to
OS. āhl&?;pan,
OFries. hlapa, D. loopen, G. laufen, OHG. louffan, hlauffan,
Icel. hlaupa, Sw. löpa, Dan. löbe, Goth. ushlaupan. Cf. Elope, Lope, Lapwing, Loaf to loiter.] 1.
To spring clear of the
ground, with the feet; to jump; to vault; as, a man leaps over a fence, or
leaps upon a horse. Bacon.
Leap in with me into
this angry flood.
Shak.
2. To spring or move suddenly, as by a jump or by jumps; to bound; to move swiftly. Also Fig.
My heart
leaps up when I behold
A
rainbow in the sky.
Wordsworth.
Leap (?), n. [AS. leáp.]
1. A basket. [Obs.] Wyclif.
2. A weel
or wicker trap for fish. [Prov. Eng.]
Hear it pronounced