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View synonyms for leash

leash

[ leesh ]

noun

  1. a chain, strap, etc., for controlling or leading a dog or other animal; lead.
  2. check; curb; restraint: a tight leash on one's subordinates.

    to keep one's temper in leash;

    a tight leash on one's subordinates.

  3. Hunting. a brace and a half, as of foxes or hounds.


verb (used with object)

  1. to secure, control, or restrain by or as if by a leash:

    to leash water power for industrial use.

  2. to bind together by or as if by a leash; connect; link; associate.

leash

/ liːʃ /

noun

  1. a line or rope used to walk or control a dog or other animal; lead
  2. something resembling this in function

    he kept a tight leash on his emotions

  3. hunting three of the same kind of animal, usually hounds, foxes, or hares
  4. straining at the leash
    straining at the leash eagerly impatient to begin something


verb

  1. tr to control or secure by or as if by a leash

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Word History and Origins

Origin of leash1

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

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Word History and Origins

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

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Example Sentences

Apple also held a tight leash around not only the creative assets but also targeting data and detailed reporting information.

From Digiday

For one, you don’t really have control when you let the leash spool out, and while you’re supposed to be able to reel it back in, they sometimes malfunction.

Be careful when going off-leashBefore you set your dog free, make sure you know the leash laws in your area.

If you don’t want to knot up your lead, you can buy a leash that has two or three loops sewn in.

That goes for well-trained dogs, too, because once you take the leash off, a lot of factors will be beyond your control.

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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