Leg

n. [ Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. læg calf of the leg, Sw. lägg. ] 1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or dividers. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [ Slang, Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Naut.) The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Steam Boiler) An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; -- called also water leg. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Grain Elevator) The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Cricket) A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Math.) Either side of a triangle distinguished from the base or, in a right triangle, from the hypotenuse; also, an indefinitely extending branch of a curve, as of a hyperbola. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

11. (Telephony) A branch or lateral circuit connecting an instrument with the main line. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

12. (Elec.) A branch circuit; one phase of a polyphase system. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

A good leg (Naut.), a course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course. --
Leg bail, escape from custody by flight. [ Slang ] --
Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) (Geom.), the branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely. --
Legs of a triangle, the sides of a triangle; -- a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypotenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle.
On one's legs, standing to speak. --
On one's last legs. See under Last. --
To have legs (Naut.), to have speed. --
To stand on one's own legs, to support one's self; to be independent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Legacies [ L. (assumed) legatia, for legatum, from legare to appoint by last will, to bequeath as a legacy, to depute: cf. OF. legat legacy. See Legate. ] 1. A gift of property by will, esp. of money or personal property; a bequest. Also Fig.; as, a legacy of dishonor or disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A business with which one is intrusted by another; a commission; -- obsolete, except in the phrases last legacy, dying legacy, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

My legacy and message wherefore I am sent into the world. Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

He came and told his legacy. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

Legacy duty, a tax paid to government on legacies. Wharton. --
Legacy hunter, one who flatters and courts any one for the sake of a legacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. legalis, fr. lex, legis, law; prob. orig., that which lies or is fixed (cf. L. lectus bed), and if so akin to E. lie, law: cf. F. légal. Cf. Lie to be prostrate, Loyal, Leal. ] 1. Created by, permitted by, in conformity with, or relating to, law; as, a legal obligation; a legal standard or test; a legal procedure; a legal claim; a legal trade; anything is legal which the laws do not forbid. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Theol.) (a) According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation. (b) According to the old or Mosaic dispensation; in accordance with the law of Moses. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) Governed by the rules of law as distinguished from the rules of equity; as, legal estate; legal assets. Bouvier. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

Legal cap. See under Cap. --
Legal tender. (a) The act of tendering in the performance of a contract or satisfaction of a claim that which the law prescribes or permits, and at such time and place as the law prescribes or permits. (b) That currency, or money, which the law authorizes a debtor to tender and requires a creditor to receive. It differs in different countries.

Syn. -- Lawful; constitutional; legitimate; licit; authorized. See Lawful. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A style of writing or speaking heavily emphasizing the abstruse technical vocabulary of the law, to the point where a speech or document may be incomprehensible to non-specialists. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. the act of legalizing; same as legalization.
Syn. -- legalization. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Strictness, or the doctrine of strictness, in conforming to law. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who practices or advocates strict conformity to law; in theology, one who holds to the law of works. See Legal, 2 (a). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. LL. legalitas, F. légalité. Cf. Loyalty. ] 1. The state or quality of being legal; conformity to law. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Theol.) A conformity to, and resting upon, the letter of the law. [ 1913 Webster ]