View synonyms for leash

leash

[ leesh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a chain, strap, etc., for controlling or leading a dog or other animal; lead.
check; curb; restraint: a tight leash on one's subordinates.
to keep one's temper in leash;
a tight leash on one's subordinates.
Hunting. a brace and a half, as of foxes or hounds.

to secure, control, or restrain by or as if by a leash:
to leash water power for industrial use.
to bind together by or as if by a leash; connect; link; associate.

leash

/ liːʃ /

Origin of leash¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English lesh, variant of lece, lese, from Old French laisse; lease ¹

Origin of leash¹

C13: from Old French laisse, from laissier to loose (hence, to let a dog run on a leash), ultimately from Latin laxus lax

They say The Guardian has been dragging its feet on the pursuit of NSA-related stories while keeping the Times on a short leash.

Cruz is not alone in demanding that the IRS be neutered, or at least be put on a very short leash.

In the article, she spoke about her boyfriend taking her to clubs on a leash and collar.

As long as he polls even with HRC, he'll be given a long leash indeed.

Hillary Clinton was kept on a pretty short leash by this White House.

Nicholson and John Lawrence were there; could they hold those warrior-tribes in subjection, or, better still, in leash?

The little page who answered the door held in leash an Arab greyhound larger than himself.

Imperturbable, on the platform, he seemed to be holding in leash the Wendover train whose engines were throbbing for flight.

Kathlyn, seizing the leash, followed like the wind, hampered though she was by the apron.

She snapped the leash on his collar just as her father came running up, pale and disturbed.

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