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legionnaire
journey or competition: The final leg of the race is from
Newcastle to Edinburgh. 7 [U] also leg side /'· ·/ the part of a
cricket field behind and to the left of the (right-handed)
BATSMAN as he/she faces the BOWLER: He hit the ball to leg. →
opposite OFF 8 break a leg a phrase used to wish someone
luck before a performance, especially among actors, because
it is considered unlucky to actually say 'good luck' 9 give
someone a leg up BrE infml a) to help someone to climb or
get on something by supporting the lower part of their
leg b) to help someone to improve their situation 10 leg
before wicket a way in which a cricketer's INNINGS can be
ended when their leg is hit by a ball which would otherwise
have hit the three posts of their WICKET 11 not have a leg
to stand on to have no support for one's position: He had
confirmed what I said, but then he changed his mind and
denied it, and I was left without a leg to stand on. 12 on
its/his/her last legs infml in very poor condition and about
to die or stop working: I think this car is really on its last legs
now. 13 pull someone's leg infml to make playful fun of
someone, e.g. by encouraging them to believe something
untrue 14 short, fat, hairy legs a phrase often used by the
British COMEDIANS Morecambe and Wise describing Ernie
Wise's legs 15 -legged /legd, legid/ having the stated
number or kind of legs: four-legged animals | He sat cross-
legged on the floor. 16 get your leg over BrE slang to have sex
with someone (used especially about men): Most men I meet
are only interested in getting their leg over. | Go on, tell us then
– did you get your leg over? | a legover There's nothing wrong
with a quick legover, is there? → see also BOW-LEGGED, SEA
LEGS, on one's last legs (LAST¹), shake a leg (SHAKE¹), show
a leg (SHOW¹), stretch one's legs (STRETCH¹)
leg² v -gg- leg it old-fash infml, especially BrE to walk or run fast,
especially in order to escape
leg·a·cy /'legəsi/ n 1 money or other property that one
receives from someone who has died, in accordance with
their wishes officially recorded while they were alive: I got a
nice little legacy from my aunt. 2 [(off)] something passed on
or left behind by someone or something: These buildings are
a legacy of the last government. (=it had them built) | Disease
and famine are often legacies of war. (=are caused by and
remain after wars) → compare INHERITANCE
le·gal /'li:gəl/ adj 1 allowed or made by law: Don't worry, it's
quite legal. | Schooling is a legal requirement for children over
five years old in Britain and the US. → opposite ILLE-
GAL 2 [A] of or using the law: a legal matter | The company
intends to take legal action (= SUE or PROSECUTE) over this
matter. | The case made legal history. | the legal profession
(=lawyers) —-ly adv: The contract is not legally binding
until it has been signed by both people.
Compare legal, lawful, and legitimate. Any action
which is allowed by law is legal: It is legal for people over
18 to buy alcohol. Legal also means 'connected with the
law': the legal profession. Lawful means 'existing
according to law' and suggests that the law has moral or
religious force: a lawful marriage | your lawful king.
Legitimate means 'accepted by law, custom, or common
belief': the legitimate government | He claimed that
bombing the town was a legitimate act in war. | Her
illness was a legitimate reason for being absent from
work.
,legal 'age n [U] the age at which one is legally allowed to do
certain things e.g. leave school, vote etc: The legal age for
drinking varies from state to state.
,legal 'aid n [U] the services of a lawyer in a court case
provided free to people too poor to pay for them: The
defendant applied for/was granted legal aid.
,legal ex'ecutive n someone with legal knowledge but
without QUALIFICATIONS who helps a professional SOLICITOR
→ compare PARALEGAL
le·gal·is·tic /ˌli:gə'lɪstɪk/ adj derog placing great impor-
tance on keeping exactly to what the law says, rather than
trying to understand and act in accordance with its true
meaning and intention —-ally /kli/ adv
le·gal·i·ty /lɪ'gæləti/ n [U] the condition of being allowed
by law: I would question the legality of the government's
decision.
le·gal·ize also -ise BrE /'li:gəlaɪz/ v [T] to make legal: Will
the government legalize cannabis? | legalized abortion
—-ization /ˌli:gəlaɪ'zeɪʃən||-gə-/ n [U]
,legal o'pinion n [C;U] a formal opinion given by a lawyer
stating that certain points of a document are true and
correct
'legal pad n yellow lined writing paper sold in the US in PADs
and popular with lawyers, students, and many others: tak-
ing notes on a legal pad
'legal pro,fession [the] all the people who are profession-
ally trained to help people with legal problems → see also
ATTORNEY, BARRISTER, LAWYER, LEGAL EXECUTIVE, PARALE-
GAL, SOLICITOR
'legal-size also legal adj AmE (of paper) having a size of 8 ×
14 inches: The photocopier is out of legal-size paper. →
compare LETTER-SIZE
,legal 'tender n [U] fml any form of money which by law
must be accepted when offered in payment
leg·ate /'legət/ n a high-ranking representative, especially a
priest appointed by the Pope as his representative
leg·a·tee /ˌlegə'ti:/ n tech a person who receives a LEGACY
le·ga·tion /lɪ'geɪʃən/ n (the building or offices of) a group of
officials who represent their government in a foreign country.
It is lower in rank and importance than an EMBASSY: the
Cuban legation | a member of a legation → compare
EMBASSY
le·ga·to /lɪ'gɑ:təʊ/ adj, adv (of music) played smoothly, with
the notes sliding smoothly into each other → compare
STACCATO
'leg-break n (in cricket) a slow ball that turns from the leg
(LEG) side to the off (OFF) side when it bounces (BOUNCE)
le·gend /'ledʒənd/ n 1 [C] an old story about great events
and people in ancient times, which may not be true: In the
legend, Rip Van Winkle slept for 100 years. 2 [U] such stories
collectively: a character in Irish legend 3 [C] a famous
person or act, especially in a particular area of activity: He is
a legend in his own lifetime for his scientific discover-
ies. 4 [C] old-fash the words that explain a picture, map, table
etc in a book → compare MYTH
le·gen·da·ry /'ledʒəndəri||-deri/ adj 1 of, like, or told in a
legend: legendary characters 2 [(f)] very famous: the legen-
dary Elvis Presley | This restaurant is legendary for its fish.
(=it serves famously good fish)
Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The (1820) a popular story
by Washington IRVING in which the main character, Ichabod
CRANE, rides quickly through a frightening place called Sleepy
Hollow because he thinks he is being chased by a HEADLESS
HORSEMAN
le·ger /'ledʒər/ also 'leger line n a LEDGER
le·ger·de·main /ˌledʒədi'meɪn||-dʒər-/ n [U] old-
fash 1 quick skilful use of the hands in performing tricks: the
conjurer's legerdemain 2 fml clever but rather deceitful use of
argument: The lawyer confused the jury with his legal leger-
demain.
leg·gings /'legɪŋz/ n [P] coverings, usually made of wool or
of strong cloth, leather etc, worn to keep the lower legs
warm, or to protect them
leg·gy /'legi/ adj (especially of a child, a young animal, or a
woman) having long rather thin legs, especially in compari-
son with the rest of the body: a leggy blonde —giness n [U]
le·gi·ble /'ledʒəbəl/ adj (of handwriting or print) that can be
read, especially easily: His handwriting is barely legible. (=is
very difficult to read) → opposite ILLEGIBLE —-bly adv: Please
write legibly when you fill in the form. —-bility /ˌledʒə'bləti/
n [U]
le·gion¹ /'li:dʒən/ n [C+sing./pl. v)] 1 a division of an army,
especially of the army of ancient Rome: Each legion con-
tained between 3000 and 6000 soldiers. 2 [(off)] also legions pl.
— fml a large group of people: She has a legion (=lots) of
admirers.
legion² adj [F no comp.] fml or pomp very many: Her admirers are
legion.
le·gion·a·ry /'li:dʒənəri||-neri/ n a member of a LEGION
le·gion·naire /ˌli:dʒə'neər/ n a member of a LEGION, espe-
cially of the army of ancient Rome or of the French FOREIGN
LEGION