league

1
[ leeg ]
See synonyms for league on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a covenant or compact made between persons, parties, states, etc., for the promotion or maintenance of common interests or for mutual assistance or service.

  2. the aggregation of persons, parties, states, etc., associated in such a covenant or compact; confederacy.

  1. an association of individuals having a common goal.

  2. Sports. a group of athletic teams organized to promote mutual interests and to compete chiefly among themselves: a bowling league for ages 12–18;a tri-county community softball league.

  3. Sports.

    • a major league: He played in both leagues, with four different teams, but he’ll always be remembered most as a Cincinnati Red.

    • a minor league: During her tenure as general manager of the league in Florida, eight of her players were promoted to the majors.

  4. group; class; category: As a pianist he just simply isn't in your league.

verb (used with or without object),leagued, lea·guing.
  1. to unite in a league; combine. Some unlikely political bedfellows leagued together to get the bill passed.People are judged, fairly or not, by the company that they keep, and the people they league themselves with.

Idioms about league

  1. in league, working together, often secretly or for a harmful purpose; united: By putting yourself in league with corrupt and ruthless leaders, you will end up paying in the long run.

Origin of league

1
First recorded in 1425–75; from French ligue, from Italian liga, lega, from legare, from Latin ligāre “to tie, bind”

synonym study For league

1. See alliance.

Other words for league

Other definitions for league (2 of 2)

league2
[ leeg ]

noun
  1. a unit of distance, varying at different periods and in different countries: in English-speaking countries usually estimated roughly at 3 miles (4.8 kilometers).

  2. a square league, as a unit of land measure, estimated roughly at 4,428 acres (1,791.9 hectares).

Origin of league

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lege, leghe, leuge, from Old French legue, from Late Latin leuga, leuca, a Gaulish unit of distance equal to 1.5 Roman miles, apparently from Gaulish; (compare Breton leó, leu, lev “league”)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use league in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for league (1 of 2)

league1

/ (liːɡ) /


noun
  1. an association or union of persons, nations, etc, formed to promote the interests of its members

  2. an association of sporting clubs that organizes matches between member teams of a similar standard

  1. a class, category, or level: he is not in the same league

  2. in league working or planning together (with)

  3. (modifier) of, involving, or belonging to a league: a league game; a league table

verbleagues, leaguing or leagued
  1. to form or be formed into a league

Origin of league

1
C15: from Old French ligue, from Italian liga, ultimately from Latin ligāre to bind

British Dictionary definitions for league (2 of 2)

league2

/ (liːɡ) /


noun
  1. an obsolete unit of distance of varying length. It is commonly equal to 3 miles

Origin of league

2
C14 leuge, from Late Latin leuga, leuca, of Celtic origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with league

league

see big league; in league with; in the same league.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.