LEAP
WordNet
noun
(1) A light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
(2) The distance leaped (or to be leaped)
"A leap of 10 feet"
(3) An abrupt transition
"A successful leap from college to the major leagues"
(4) A sudden and decisive increase
"A jump in attendance"
verb
(5) Pass abruptly from one state or topic to another
"Leap into fame"
"Jump to a conclusion"
"Jump from one thing to another"
(6) Move forward by leaps and bounds
"The horse bounded across the meadow"
"The child leapt across the puddle"
"Can you jump over the fence?"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
, from . Cognate with Dutch , German , Old Norse (whence Danish , English , Swedish ).
Initialism
LEAP
Verb
- To jump from one location to another.
- anonymous, Merlin
- It is grete nede a man to go bak to recouer the better his leep
- 1600, anonymous, The wisdome of Doctor Dodypoll, act 4
- I, I defie thee: wert not thou next him when he leapt into the Riuer?
- 1783, Hugh Blair, from the “Illiad” in Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, lecture 4, page 65
- 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.
- 1999, Ai, Vice: New & Selected Poems, page 78
- It is better to leap into the void.
- anonymous, Merlin
Usage notes
The choice between and is mostly a matter of regional differences: is preferred in British English and in American English. According to research by John Algeo (British or American English?, Cambridge, 2006), is used 80% of the time in UK and 32% in the US.