Definition

1. Noun:

   • A bloodsucking worm: A leech is a type of parasitic worm, often aquatic, that attaches to a host to suck blood. It has a sucker at each end of its body.
   • A person who exploits others: (Figurative) A leech is someone who clings to another person, draining their resources, energy, or money without giving anything in return.

2. Verb:

   • To drain or exploit: To act like a leech; to cling to someone and exhaust their resources.
   • To apply leeches medically: (Historical/Medical) To treat someone by applying leeches to draw blood, a practice once common in medicine.

Examples

• Noun (Animal):
  • After wading in the pond, he found a leech on his leg.
  • Leeches are sometimes used in modern medicine to improve blood flow.
• Noun (Person):
  • He's a financial leech who has been living off his brother's generosity for years.
  • She finally cut ties with friends who were emotional leeches.
• Verb (To exploit):
  • He leeched off his parents' savings until there was nothing left.
  • The corrupt official leeched the wealth from the community.
• Verb (Medical):
  • In the 19th century, doctors would often leech patients to treat fevers.

Advanced Usage

• "To leech onto someone/something": To attach oneself to a person or system in a persistent, parasitic manner.
  • The invasive vine leeched onto the ancient oak tree, slowly killing it.
  • Unscrupulous advisors leeched onto the young heir, seeking to control his fortune.

Variants and Related Words

• Leech-like (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a leech, especially in being parasitic or clinging.
  • His leech-like dependence on his family was unhealthy.
• Bloodsucker (n): Literal synonym for the worm; also a figurative term for an exploitative person.
• Parasite (n): A broader biological and figurative term for an organism or person that lives off another.

Synonyms

• Noun (Person): Parasite, sponge, freeloader, hanger-on, moocher.
• Verb (To exploit): Drain, bleed, sponge, freeload, exploit.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Leech off (someone): To exploit someone financially or emotionally over time.
  • He has no job and just leeches off his roommate.

Related Idioms

• Stick like a leech: To cling to someone or something with tenacious persistence.
  • The scandal stuck to the politician like a leech, ruining his career.

Noun

1. a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
2. carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end

Verb

1. draw blood
   • In the old days, doctors routinely bled patients as part of the treatment