Leap

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.

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.

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, 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.

Changes of tone may proceed either by leaps or glides.

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 (?), n. [AS. leÁp.] 1. A basket. [Obs.] Wyclif.

2. A weel or wicker trap for fish. [Prov. Eng.]