legs

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Word: Legs

Part of Speech: Noun

Basic Definition:

1. Physical Meaning: "Legs" refers to the body parts of humans and animals that are used for walking, running, and standing. Most people have two legs.

   • Example: "She ran fast on her legs."

2. Figurative Meaning: In a more abstract sense, as in the example provided, "legs" can refer to the ability of something to last a long time or to have staying power, such as a play, song, or idea.

   • Example: "That old Broadway play really has legs; it has been running for over ten years."

Usage Instructions:

• Use "legs" when talking about the physical limbs of living creatures or when discussing the enduring quality of something abstract.
• It is often used in plural form ("legs") because we typically talk about both legs together.

Advanced Usage:

• In discussions about art, music, or performances, saying something "has legs" means it is popular and continues to be successful over time.
• Example: "The new movie has legs; people are still talking about it months after its release."

Word Variants:

• Leg: This is the singular form, used when talking about one leg.
  • Example: "He hurt his leg while playing soccer."
• Leggy: An adjective describing someone or something with long legs.
  • Example: "The model was very leggy on the runway."

Different Meanings:

• Legs (in sports): Can refer to the legs of a race or journey.
  • Example: "The marathon has several legs, each one challenging in its own way."
• Legs (in finance): Can refer to different segments of a journey in trading or investments.
  • Example: "The trade has multiple legs, each representing different assets."

Synonyms:

• For Physical Legs: limbs, lower limbs
• For Figurative "Legs": staying power, durability, longevity

Idioms:

• "To be on your last legs": This means to be very tired or close to collapse.
  • Example: "After hiking all day, I was on my last legs."
• "To pull someone's leg": This means to tease or joke with someone.
  • Example: "I was just pulling your leg when I said I was moving to another country."

Phrasal Verbs:

• While "legs" doesn’t have direct phrasal verbs, you might encounter phrases like "to get cold feet," which refers to becoming nervous about something, often indicating a loss of confidence in one's ability to stand strong (like one's legs).

Academic

Noun

1. staying power
   • that old Broadway play really has legs