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leap
leap at the chance (to do something)
To accept or seize with alacrity an opportunity (to do something). Mark complains about his teaching job a lot, but I knew if he were offered a tenured position in the school, he would leap at the chance. When our manager said she was leaving the company, I leaped at the chance to fill the job.
leap to (someone's) mind
To suddenly or immediately materialize in someone's mind. A: "What would you like to have for dinner?" B: "I'm not sure, nothing's really leaping to mind." When it comes to crime thrillers, he's not a writer who leaps to most people's minds, but his books are edgy, brilliant page-turners.
leaps and bounds
1. adverb By very large degrees; rapidly or in quick progress forward. Our small company has been expanding leaps and bounds over the past year, thanks in no small part to our aggressive new marketing campaign. Our puppy has grown leaps and bounds since we switched it to a new brand of dog food.
2. noun Very large degrees of or rapid progress forward. (Used especially in the phrases "by/in leaps and bounds" and "make leaps and bounds.") Samantha's delivery business has been growing by leaps and bounds recently. The class made leaps and bounds in its reading comprehension after I adopted a new teaching method.
in leaps and bounds
By very large degrees; rapidly or in quick progress forward. Our small company has been growing in leaps and bounds over the past year, thanks in no small part to our aggressive new marketing campaign. What was once a tiny local choir club has expanded in leaps and bounds over the years.
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind
A phrase typically said in reference to a breakthrough or advancement of some kind. Astronaut Neil Armstrong famously said the phrase in 1969 when he became the first person to set foot on the moon. I think the self-driving car will be one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. When we find a cure for this illness, it will be one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
leap in the dark
A chance that one takes despite being uncertain of the consequences or outcome. I don't usually go on blind dates, but I took a leap in the dark and agreed to meet Sarah's friend for dinner.
quantum leap
A sudden or important change or improvement. Gary's new job in upper management is a quantum leap forward from his old position at the factory.
by leaps and bounds
Fig. rapidly; by large movements forward. The brush we cut back last fall is growing by leaps and bounds. The profits of my company are increasing by leaps and bounds. He is gaining by leaps and bounds.
increase by leaps and bounds
Fig. to increase or grow by large increments. (See also gain by leaps and bounds.) The price of our stock is increasing by leaps and bounds.
jump to conclusions
and leap to conclusionsFig. to judge or decide something without having all the facts; to reach unwarranted conclusions. (See also rush to conclusions.) Now don't jump to conclusions. Wait until you hear what I have to say. Please find out all the facts so you won't leap to conclusions.
leap at someone or something
1. to jump toward someone or something. The grasshopper leapt at me and scared me to death. The cat leapt at the mouse and caught it.
2. to accept or choose someone or something eagerly. We leapt at Carl when his department offered him to us. When we had the chance to hire Carl, we leapt at it.
leap at the opportunity (to do something)
and leap at the chance (to do something); jump at the chance (to do something); jump at the opportunity (to do something)Fig. to accept an opportunity eagerly. Frank leapt at the opportunity to become a commercial artist. It was a great idea and we leapt at the opportunity. I would leap at the chance to go to Moscow. His company proposed to send him to England, and John jumped at the chance.
leap down (from something)
to hop down from something or some place. The performer leapt down from the stage and ran up the aisle. She leapt down and ran away.
leap for joy
and jump for joyFig. to jump up because one is happy; to be very happy. Tommy leapt for joy because he had won the race. We all leapt for joy when we heard the news.
leap forward
to jump or hop forward. The little creature leapt forward and looked carefully at us. As the frog leapt forward, the kitten jumped straight up and fled.
*leap of faith
Fig. acceptance of an idea or conclusion largely on faith. (*Typically: be ~; make ~; require ~.) We had to make quite a leap of faith to accept his promise after the last time he let us down.
leap out (of something)
to jump outward from something. A mouse leapt out of the cereal box and frightened everyone. I opened the box and a mouse leapt out.
leap over something
to jump over something. The dog leapt over the hedge and chased the rabbit around the corner of the house. Please don't leap over my roses. You'll damage them.
leap up
to jump upwards. The dog leapt up and licked my cheek. I leapt up so I could see over the wall for just a second.
Look before you leap.
Prov. Cliché Think carefully about what you are about to do before you do it. I'm not saying you shouldn't sign the lease for that apartment. I'm just saying you should look before you leap. Jill: I'm thinking about going to night school. Jane: Are you sure you can spare the time and the money? Look before you leap.
jump to conclusions
to judge a situation without enough information about it The investigation isn't finished, so let's not jump to conclusions about what caused the plane to crash.
leap at something
to quickly and eagerly accept an opportunity
jump at something I would leap at an opportunity to work for that organization. Usage notes: often used in the form leap at the chance: I leaped at the chance to visit India.
grow by leaps and bounds
to become larger quickly Since we had that good rain, my tomatoes have grown by leaps and bounds. That boy has grown by leaps and bounds this year.
get/jump/leap on the bandwagon
to become involved in an activity which is successful so that you can get the advantages of it yourself The success of the product led many companies to jump on the bandwagon. Publishers are rushing to get on the CD-ROM bandwagon.
jump to conclusions
to guess the facts about a situation without having enough information I might be jumping to conclusions but I've seen them together twice in town.
a leap in the dark
something you do without being certain what will happen as a result I had very little information about the company, so writing to them was a bit of a leap in the dark.
by/in leaps and bounds
if progress or growth happens in leaps and bounds, it happens very quickly Ashley's reading has come on in leaps and bounds since she's been at her new school. Leaders of the organization say their membership is growing by leaps and bounds.
Look before you leap.
something that you say in order to advise someone to think about possible problems before doing something If you're thinking of buying a house, my advice is, look before you leap.
a quantum leap
(British & American) also a quantum jump (American) a very important improvement or development in something (often + forward ) The election of a female president is a quantum leap forward for sexual equality. (often + from ) The food at Rockresorts is a quantum jump from the meals served at most Caribbean resorts.
by leaps and bounds
Rapidly, or in fast progress, as in The corn is growing by leaps and bounds, or School enrollment is increasing by leaps and bounds. This term is a redundancy, since leap and bound both mean "spring" or "jump," but the two words have been paired since Shakespeare's time and are still so used.
leap in the dark
An act whose results cannot be predicted. For example, Given today's high divorce rate, he considered marriage a leap in the dark. [Late 1600s]
leap of faith
A belief or trust in something intangible or incapable of being proved. For example, It required a leap of faith to pursue this unusual step of transplanting an animals' heart into a human patient .
look before you leap
Think of the consequences before you act, as in You'd better check out all the costs before you buy a cellular phone-look before you leap . This expression alludes to Aesop's fable about the fox who is unable to climb out of a well and persuades a goat to jump in. The fox then climbs on the goat's horns to get out, while the goat remains trapped. [c. 1350]
quantum leap
A dramatic advance, especially in knowledge or method, as in Establishing a central bank represents a quantum leap in this small country's development. This term originated as quantum jump in the mid-1900s in physics, where it denotes a sudden change from one energy state to another within an atom. Within a decade it was transferred to other advances, not necessarily sudden but very important ones.
leap at
v.1. To spring or bound toward someone or something: The cat leaped at the mouse.
2. To accept something eagerly, as an opportunity: I leaped at the chance to be an intern at the publishing company.
leap in
v.1. To spring or bound in or into something: I couldn't resist leaping in the big pile of raked leaves on the ground. The couch looked so comfortable that we just leapt in.
2. To join some activity that is already in progress: I leapt in the game they had been playing. Whenever you feel like joining us, just leap in!
leap out
v.1. To spring or bound outward: The cat leaped out from behind the bush and pounced on the mouse.
2. To draw immediate attention; be immediately apparent: That red lettering really leaps out from the page. If the answers don't leap out at you, you probably didn't study enough.
by leaps and bounds
Very quickly: growing by leaps and bounds.
leap in the dark
An act whose consequences cannot be predicted.
leap of faith
The act or an instance of believing or trusting in something intangible or incapable of being proved.
Common Names:
| Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
|---|
| Jo | | JO (English) | English, German, Dutch |
| Singh | | - | Indian (Sikh) |
| Agnes | | ['ægnis] | |
| Sashka | | - | Macedonian, Bulgarian |
| Martita | | mahr-TEE-tah | Spanish |
| Ayman | | - | Arabic |