LEAP (leapt)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: leapt   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does leap mean? 

• LEAP (noun)
  The noun LEAP has 4 senses:

1. a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards

2. an abrupt transition

3. a sudden and decisive increase

4. the distance leaped (or to be leaped)

  Familiarity information: LEAP used as a noun is uncommon.

• LEAP (verb)
  The verb LEAP has 4 senses:

1. move forward by leaps and bounds

2. pass abruptly from one state or topic to another

3. jump down from an elevated point

4. cause to jump or leap

  Familiarity information: LEAP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LEAP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

bounce; bound; leap; leaping; saltation; spring

Hypernyms ("leap" is a kind of...):

jump; jumping (the act of jumping; propelling yourself off the ground)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leap"):

pounce (the act of pouncing)

caper; capriole (a playful leap or hop)

Derivation:

leap (move forward by leaps and bounds)

leap (cause to jump or leap)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An abrupt transition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

jump; leap; saltation

Context example:

a successful leap from college to the major leagues

Hypernyms ("leap" is a kind of...):

transition (a change from one place or state or subject or stage to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leap"):

quantum jump ((physics) an abrupt transition of an electron or atom or molecule from one quantum state to another with the emission or absorption of a quantum)

Derivation:

leap (pass abruptly from one state or topic to another)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A sudden and decisive increase

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

jump; leap

Context example:

a jump in attendance

Hypernyms ("leap" is a kind of...):

increase (a change resulting in an increase)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leap"):

quantum jump; quantum leap (a sudden large increase or advance)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The distance leaped (or to be leaped)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

a leap of 10 feet

Hypernyms ("leap" is a kind of...):

distance (the property created by the space between two objects or points)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leap"):

elevation ((ballet) the height of a dancer's leap or jump)

Derivation:

leap (move forward by leaps and bounds)

leap (cause to jump or leap)

• LEAP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they leap    ... he / she / it leaps   
Past simple: leaped    / leapt   
Past participle: leaped    / leapt   
-ing form: leaping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move forward by leaps and bounds

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

bound; jump; leap; spring

Context example:

Can you jump over the fence?

Hypernyms (to "leap" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leap"):

hop (make a jump forward or upward)

caper (jump about playfully)

hop; hop-skip; skip (jump lightly)

curvet (perform a leap where both hind legs come off the ground, of a horse)

overleap; vault (jump across or leap over (an obstacle))

leapfrog (jump across)

vault (bound vigorously)

saltate (leap or skip, often in dancing)

ski jump (jump on skis)

galumph (move around heavily and clumsily)

capriole (perform a capriole, of horses in dressage)

bounce (leap suddenly)

burst (move suddenly, energetically, or violently)

bounce; bound; rebound; recoil; resile; reverberate; ricochet; spring; take a hop (spring back; spring away from an impact)

pronk (jump straight up)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The horses leap across the field

Also:

leap out (be highly noticeable)

Derivation:

leap (a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards)

leap (the distance leaped (or to be leaped))

leaper (someone who bounds or leaps (as in competition))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Pass abruptly from one state or topic to another

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

jump; leap

Context example:

jump from one thing to another

Hypernyms (to "leap" is one way to...):

change; shift; switch (lay aside, abandon, or leave for another)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

leap (an abrupt transition)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Jump down from an elevated point

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

jump; jump off; leap

Context example:

the widow leapt into the funeral pyre

Hypernyms (to "leap" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause to jump or leap

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

jump; leap

Context example:

the trainer jumped the tiger through the hoop

Cause:

bound; jump; leap; spring (move forward by leaps and bounds)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The men leap the horses across the field

Derivation:

leap (a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards)

leap (the distance leaped (or to be leaped))

 Context examples 

The king’s son was beside himself with pain, and in his despair he leapt down from the tower.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Suddenly with a single bound he leaped into the room, winning a way past us before any of us could raise a hand to stay him.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

There was no warning, only a leap in like a flash, a metallic clip of teeth, a leap out equally swift, and Curly’s face was ripped open from eye to jaw.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

But Mugridge, leaping suddenly, caught the jib-boom-lift.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

My heart leaped with a new hope of pleasure.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But suddenly, with remarkable swiftness, Lip-lip leaped in, delivering a slashing snap, and leaped away again.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Suddenly, with a loud huzza, a little cloud of pirates leaped from the woods on the north side and ran straight on the stockade.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Wolf's trot broke into a run. Wider and wider were the leaps he made.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

But this one was so broad and deep that the Lion knew at once he could not leap across it.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

My heart leapt up: I was already on my master's very lands.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)