Nearby Words
noun
1.
one of the expanded, usually green organs borne by the stem of a plant.
2.
any similar or corresponding lateral outgrowth of a stem.
3.
a petal: a rose leaf.
4.
leaves collectively; foliage.
5.
EXPANDBibliography. a unit generally comprising two printed, blank, or illustrated pages of a book, one on each side.
6.
a thin sheet of metal: silver leaf.
7.
a lamina or layer.
8.
a sliding, hinged, or detachable flat part, as of a door or tabletop.
9.
a section of a drawbridge.
10.
a single strip of metal in a leaf spring.
11.
a tooth of a small gear wheel, as of a pinion.
12.
13.
COLLAPSETextiles. shaft (def. 14).
verb (used without object)
14.
to put forth leaves.
15.
to turn pages, especially quickly (usually followed by through): to leaf through a book.
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Leaflike
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
verb (used with object)
Idioms16.
to thumb or turn, as the pages of a book or magazine, in a casual or cursory inspection of the contents.
17.
in leaf, covered with foliage; having leaves: the pale green tint of the woods newly in leaf.
18.
take a leaf out of/from someone's book, to follow someone's example; imitate: Some countries that took a leaf out of American industry's book are now doing very well for themselves.
19.
turn over a new leaf, to begin anew; make a fresh start: Every New Year's we make resolutions to turn over a new leaf.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English leef, lef, Old English lēaf; cognate with Dutch loof, German Laub, Old Norse lauf, Gothic laufs
before 900; Middle English leef, lef, Old English lēaf; cognate with Dutch loof, German Laub, Old Norse lauf, Gothic laufs
Related forms
leaf·less, adjective
leaf·like, adjective
un·leaf, verb (used with object)
un·leaf·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To leaflike
Collins
World English Dictionary
| leaf (liːf) | |
| —n , pl leaves | |
| 1. | the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants, usually consisting of a flat green blade attached to the stem directly or by a stalkRelated: foliar, foliate |
| 2. | foliage collectively |
| 3. | in leaf (of shrubs, trees, etc) having a full complement of foliage leaves |
| 4. | one of the sheets of paper in a book |
| 5. | a hinged, sliding, or detachable part, such as an extension to a table |
| 6. | metal in the form of a very thin flexible sheet: gold leaf |
| 7. | a foil or thin strip of metal in a composite material; lamina |
| 8. | short for leaf spring |
| 9. | the inner or outer wall of a cavity wall |
| 10. | a crop that is harvested in the form of leaves |
| 11. | a metal strip forming one of the laminations in a leaf spring |
| 12. | a slang word for marijuana |
| 13. | take a leaf out of someone's book, take a leaf from someone's book to imitate someone, esp in one particular course of action |
| 14. | turn over a new leaf to begin a new and improved course of behaviour |
| —vb (when intr, | |
| 15. | to turn (through pages, sheets, etc) cursorily |
| 16. | (intr) (of plants) to produce leaves |
| Related: foliar, foliate | |
| [Old English; related to Gothic laufs, Icelandic lauf] | |
| 'leafless | |
| —adj | |
| 'leaflessness | |
| —n | |
| 'leaflike | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
leaf
O.E. leaf "leaf of a plant, page of a book," from P.Gmc. *laubaz (cf. O.S. lof, O.N. lauf, O.Fris. laf, Du. loof, O.H.G. loub, Ger. Laub, Goth. lauf), perhaps from PIE *leup- "to peel off, break off" (cf. Lith. luobas, O.C.S. lubu "bark, rind"). Extended 15c. to very thin sheets of metal (esp. gold).
EXPANDMeaning "hinged flap on the side of a table" is from 1550s. The verb meaning "to turn over (the pages of a book)" is from 1660s; the sense of a book page is that in the phrase to turn over a (new) leaf (1570s).
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
leaf  (lēf) Pronunciation Key
(click for larger image in new window) An appendage growing from the stem of a plant. Leaves are extremely variable in form and function according to species. For example, the needles of pine trees, the spines of cacti, and the bright red parts of the poinsettia plant are all leaves modified for different purposes. However, most leaves are flat and green and adapted to capturing sunlight and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. They consist of an outer tissue layer (the epidermis) through which water and gases are exchanged, a spongy inner layer of cells that contain chloroplasts, and veins that supply water and minerals and carry out food. Some leaves are simple, while others are compound, consisting of multiple leaflets. The flat part of the leaf, the blade, is often attached to the stem by a leafstalk. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
leaf definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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