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leap

v. · n.
US //ˈɫip// UK //lˈiːp// leap
Irregular verb past leaped / leapt past participle leaped / leapt
  1. 1 to jump (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to jump a long way or high into the air.

    to spring through the air from one point to another by muscular effort.

    Example

    The cat had to leap over the puddle to keep its paws dry.

    Example

    The athlete managed to leap across the stream with such grace that he barely disturbed the loose gravel on the opposite bank.

    Usage

    Often used with prepositions like 'over', 'across', or 'into'.
  2. 2 a physical jump (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the act of jumping or the distance you jump.

    the act of leaping; the space or distance covered by a single jump.

    Example

    It was a big leap from the boat to the wooden dock.

    Example

    With one powerful leap, the deer cleared the garden fence and disappeared into the dense forest.
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  1. 3 a big change (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a large and sudden change or improvement.

    a sudden and significant transition or advancement in status, knowledge, or progress.

    Example

    The new medicine is a huge leap forward for science.

    Example

    The transition from steam power to electricity represented a massive technological leap that redefined industrial production in the twentieth century.

    Usage

    Commonly found in the idiom 'a leap of faith'.
  2. 4 musical interval (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Music

    a jump from one musical note to another that is much higher or lower.

    a movement from one note to another by an interval larger than a second.

    Example

    The singer struggled with the sudden leap to the high note.

    Example

    The melody is characterised by wide leaps and jagged rhythms, making it particularly challenging for the woodwind section to execute cleanly.

    Usage

    Used to describe melodic motion that is not stepwise.
  3. 5 a group of leopards (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    the special name for a group of leopards.

    the collective noun for a group of leopards.

    Example

    We were lucky enough to spot a leap of leopards resting in the tree.

    Example

    The guide whispered that a leap of leopards had been sighted near the watering hole earlier that morning.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a 'term of venery' or collective noun; like 'a pride of lions', it is rarely used in everyday speech.

Idioms3 entries

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