Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definitions: Leech |
LeechNoun1. Carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end. 2. A follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage. Verb1. Draw blood; "In the old days, doctors routinely bled patients as part of the treatment". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "leech" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1200. (references) |
| Domain | Definitions |
Computing | Leech 1. n. (Also `leecher'.) Among BBS types, crackers and warez d00dz, one who consumes knowledge without generating new software, cracks, or techniques. BBS culture specifically defines a leech as someone who downloads files with few or no uploads in return, and who does not contribute to the message section. Cracker culture extends this definition to someone (a lamer, usually) who constantly presses informed sources for information and/or assistance, but has nothing to contribute. 2. v. [common, Toronto area] To instantly fetch a file (other than a mail attachment) whether by FTP or IRC file req or any other method. Seems to be a holdover from the early 1990s when Toronto had a very active BBS and warez scene. Source: Jargon File. |
Slang | Noun. Source: Comes from the animal, a blood-sucking parasite. Definition: You depend on someone else to take care of you, not because you are unable to take care of yourself, but because you are too lazy. Context: Used when talking about a person who can't take care of themselves. Social Source: 2002 Oakridge High School Athletes. Source: Compiled by The University of Oregon. (additional references) |
Sports & Leisure | The after edge of a sail; the part of a sail which is to leeward. Source: European Union. (references) |
Transportation | Aftermost or trailing edge of a quadrilateral or triangular fore-and-aft sail; leeward side of a spinnaker when it is set; the two sides of a square sail and of a spinnnaker before it is set. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
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Arhynchobdellida Rhynchobdellida |
A leech is a amphibious invertebrate related to worms and nematodes. Many species of leech are haemophagic parasites, living on occasional meals of blood obtained by attaching themselves to fish, amphibians (frogs etc.), and mammals. One species of leech, hirudo medicinalis which is native to europe, has been used for clinical bloodletting for thousands of years. Other leech species live on carrion or by eating earthworms.
The medicinal leech has a long history of use in medicine, although today its use is mainly limited to limb reattachment procedures instead of the wide-ranging medical use of the past. Leeches were once so commonly used that doctors were popularly called leeches. In Old High German, lāhhi (etymon of leech) means "physician".
Leech saliva contains a number of compounds which assist in its feeding. An anaesthetic limits the sensations felt by the host (and thus reduce the chance of the host trying to detach the leech). A vasodilator causes the blood vessels near the leech to become dilated, and thus provide the leech with a better food supply. Lastly, the leech saliva contains a complex protein called hirudin, which is a highly effective anticoagulant. The leech needs this to prevent blood clots (which would block its feeding) from forming in the wound created by its mouthparts. These properties are difficult to achieve using other medical techniques, and it is for this reason that leeches have
come back into clinical practise in the last 25 years. The small amounts of hirundin present in leeches makes it unsuitable to be harvested for more general medical use, so hirudin (or related chemicals) have been synthesised using recombinant-DNA technology.
Bdellatomy is a practise to cut the leech open slightly while it is sucking blood to let the blood in it out, so thinking that it is not full yet, the leech continues to bite instead of detach itself. This practise was first recorded in 1868 by Daily News.
The anatomy of medicinal leeches may look simple, but more details are found beyond the macro level. Externally, medicinal leeches tend to have a brown and red stripped design on an olive colored background. These organisms have two suckers, one at each end, called the anterior and posterior sucker. The posterior is mainly used for leverage while the anterior sucker, consisting of the jaw and teeth, is where the feeding take place. Medicinal leeches have three jaws that look like little saws, and on them are about 100 horny teeth used to incise the host.
Leeches are hermaphrodites meaning they are organism that have both female, ovary, and male, testes, sexual reproductive organs. Starting from the anterior sucker is the jaw, the Pharynx which extends to the crop, which leads to the Intestinum, where it ends at the posterior sucker. Crop is a type of stomach that works like a expandable storage compartment. Crop allows leech to store blood up to five times its body size, because of these ablity to hold blood without the blood decaying, due to bacteria living inside the crop, medicinal leeches only need to feed two times a year.Use of hirudo medicinalis in medicine
The anatomy of medicinals leech
Internal anatomy
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Leech."
Synonyms: LeechSynonyms: bloodsucker (n), hirudinean (n), parasite (n), sponge (n), sponger (n), bleed (v), phlebotomize (v). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Advice | Physician, doctor, leech, archiater. |
Coherence | Stick like a leech, stick like wax; stick close; |
Husbandry | Neatherd, cowherd, shepherd; grazier, drover, cowkeeper; trainer, breeder; apiarian, apiarist; bull whacker, cowboy, cow puncher, farrier; horse leech, horse doctor; vaquero, veterinarian, vet, veterinary surgeon. |
Remedy | Doctor, physician, surgeon; medical practitioner, general practitioner, specialist; medical attendant, apothecary, druggist; leech; osteopath, osteopathist; optometrist, ophthalmologist; internist, oncologist, gastroenterologist; epidemiologist, public health specialist; dermatologist; podiatrist; witch doctor, shaman, faith healer, quack, exorcist; Aesculapius, Hippocrates, Galen; accoucheur, accoucheuse, midwife, oculist, aurist; operator; nurse, registered nurse, practical nurse, monthly nurse, sister; nurse's aide, candystriper; dresser; bonesetter; pharmaceutist, pharmacist, druggist, chemist, pharmacopolist. |
Taking | Oust; (eject); divest; levy, distrain, confiscate; sequester, sequestrate; accroach; usurp; despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home; drain, drain to the dregs; gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up; absorb; (suck in); draw off; suck the blood of, suck like a leech. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Leech |
| English words defined with "leech": Apoda ♦ bloodsucking, Bowline bridles ♦ Hirudo medicinalis, Horse leech, Horse-leech ♦ Land leech, Leech line, leech onto, Leech rope, Leeched, Leeching, leechlike ♦ Malacobdella, medicinal leech ♦ parasitic, parasitical ♦ Sanguisuge, Skate sucker ♦ To touch a sail. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "leech": Apostate ♦ banner site ♦ Cure de Meudon ♦ Fashion ♦ leech mode ♦ ratio site ♦ sycophant ♦ warez. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "leech": Bdelloidea, Bdellometer, Bdellomorpha ♦ Hirudo ♦ Rhynchobdellea. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Leech" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses. Frisian (empty, low, void). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | You can be a leech! (The Talented Mr. Ripley; writing credit: Anthony Minghella) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Leech Girl (1969) The Leech Woman (1960) A Leech of Industry (1914) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | [Woman applying a leech to her forearm].Credit: National Library of Medicine. |  | Leech Maskrey.Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Leech Lake Lumber Co., Walker, Minn., 1915.Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Samuel Butler | A skilful leech is better far, than half a hundred men of war. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Scarlet Letter | Hawthorne, Nathaniel | But he hath a godly minister or two with him, and likewise a leech. |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | He slept with that crushing sleep of the torpid bear and the overfed leech. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | FASHION, n. A despot whom the wise ridicule and obey. A king there was who lost an eye In some excess of passion; And straight his courtiers all did try To follow the new fashion. Each dropped one eyelid when before The throne he ventured, thinking 'Twould please the king. That monarch swore He'd slay them all for winking. What should they do? They were not hot To hazard such disaster; They dared not close an eye -- dared not See better than their master. Seeing them lacrymose and glum, A leech consoled the weepers: He spread small rags with liquid gum And covered half their peepers. The court all wore the stuff, the flame Of royal anger dying. That's how court-plaster got its name Unless I'm greatly lying. Naramy Oof |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Leech" is generally used as a noun (proper) -- approximately 53.57% of the time. "Leech" is used about 112 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (proper) | 53.57% | 60 | 43,597 |
| Noun (singular) | 35.71% | 40 | 54,274 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 7.14% | 8 | 124,375 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 3.57% | 4 | 175,879 |
| Total | 100.00% | 112 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "leech" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| Leech | Last name | 2,000 | 5,053 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
Expressions using "leech": Horse leech ♦ Land leech ♦ leech craft ♦ Leech line ♦ leech mode ♦ leech onto ♦ Leech rope ♦ medicinal leech ♦ stick like a leech ♦ stick like a leech to smb. ♦ suck like a leech. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "leech": leech-battened, leech-gatherers, leech-like, leech-pluckers, Leech-wilkinson. | |
Ending with "leech": after-leech, cow-leech, Horse-leech. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
leech ftp | 807 | richard leech | 11 |
leech | 721 | information leech | 11 |
leech lake | 103 | leech photo | 10 |
anti leech | 85 | emule leech | 10 |
leech picture | 58 | leech pic | 9 |
anti leech plugin | 33 | john leech | 8 |
leech lake resort | 31 | leech site | 8 |
leech lake minnesota | 29 | bite leech | 8 |
leech lake mn | 26 | leech field | 8 |
fishing lake leech report | 23 | fishing lake leech | 8 |
get leech | 23 | leech pond | 7 |
hammer leech | 23 | leech woman | 7 |
leech lake realty | 22 | file leech | 7 |
leech ftp download | 15 | hunter leech | 7 |
leech medicinal | 13 | bait leech | 7 |
leech therapy | 13 | fishing leech | 7 |
leech ryan | 13 | lake leech reservation | 7 |
leech oil | 12 | catching leech | 7 |
lake leech map | 12 | leech sadie | 6 |
leech trap | 12 | lake leech minnesota resort | 6 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "leech"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | vë shushunja, shushunjë (bloodsucker, caterpillar), rrodhe (bur), mjekoj (cure, doctor, medicate, treat), mjek (doctor, medic, medico, physician), gjakpirës (bloodsucker, caterpillar, sanguinary, sanguineous, sanguivorous, vampire), anë e palidhur e velës. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | سلعة (article, commodity, ware), علقة. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | свободен край на платно, слагам пиявици на, врач (fortune teller, quack, quacksalver), залепвам се (adhere, cotton), лекар (consultant, doctor, physician), лепка (barnacle, bur, limpet), лихвар (gombeenman, lombard, money lender, money spinner, note-shaver, shark, usurer), пускам кръв (blood, phlebotomize), пиявица (bloodsucker, extortionist), изтощавам (bucket, crock, deplete, distress, do in, emaciate, exhaust, extend, fag, farm out, fatigue, frazzle, gruel, impoverish, kill, overcrop, overwork, play out, poop, prostrate, pump, pump out, punish, rack, reduce, run down, sew up, spend, tire out, tucker, waste). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 蛭 (fluke, hirudinea), 水蛭 . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | pijavka, pijavice (bloodsucker), felèar. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | lig (corpse, equal, even, level, roaches), råsejlshøjde. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | bloedzuiger (vampire). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | hirudo. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | پزشکی کردن , مزاحم (Bothersome, Gadfly, Intruder, Knocker, Tiresome, Troublemaker, Troublous), حجامت (Cup), زالوانداختن , زالو (Bloodsucker), طبیب (Medic, Medico), خفاش خون اشام , انگل (Guest, Parasite, Satellite, Sponge, Sycophant, Tagalong), اسباب خون گیری , شفادادن (Cure, Heal, Medicate, Mend, Physic). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | mastoliesman korkeus. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | sangsue (lens). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Egel (AROW, Association of Retailer-Owned Wholesalers in Foodstuff), Blutegel. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | κατακόρυφος (ascension pipe, standpipe, vertical, verticality), βδέλλα (bloodsucker, hirudo), αφαιμάσσω. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מוצץ "ם, עלוק" (horseleech, sponger, vampire), ערפ" (bloodsucker, extortionist, vampire), טפיל (drone, parasite, sponge, sponger). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | vérszopó (blood-sucker, harpy, vampiric), pióca (blood sucker, blood-sucker), vitorla hátsó szegélye, tolakodó személy (busybody), orvos (doctor, medical man, medico, physician, sawbones), felcser (bone setter, paramedic), alkalmatlankodó személy (nuisance). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | lintah, pacet. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | sanguisuga (bloodsucker), caduta poppiera, balumina (leach). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 蛭 , リーダー制 (being in the lead, lead, leadership organization, leading, leading case, leading company, leading hitter, leading industry, lead-off man, reach, reachable, read, readability, reading, read-only, reed, song). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | リーチ (reach), ひる (daytime, noon, to dry). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | oirr shiaull, jiollag, guillag (horse leech), fer lhee (doctor, medical practitioner, physician, surgeon). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Norwegian | igle. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | eechlay lugar abrigado do vento, testa de vela, sanguessuga (blood sucker, bull's eye, freely, horse mackerel, lens), parasita (bleeder, cadger, commensal, dead beat, guest house, hanger-on, lickspittle, parasite, parasitic, parasitic oscillation, sponge, sponger), incomodar (ail, annoy, bother, discomfort, discommodity, disquiet, disturb, fidget, fret, harass, hinder, incommode, inconvenience, molest, pester, roil, trouble), guinda da vela, aborrecer (annoy, badger, blister, bore, bother, bug, burst with anger, disgust, displease, displeasure, distasteful, fash, feeze, hateful, hump, importune, irk, loathe, molestation, nag, nettle rash, offend, pester, pique, plague, put about, spite, tire, torment, trouble, vex). (various references) lipitoare (blood sucker), parazit (dead beat, guest, hanger-on, locust, parasite, parasitic, parasitical, pest, sponge, sponger, sycophant, toady), exploatator (exploiter, exploiting, slave driver), doctor (adept, d., doctor, master, physician, pill, pillbox, surgeon). (various references) пиявка (bloodsucker, caterpillar). (various references) lighiche (a physician, physician, surgeon), deil (an axle), deal (friendly). (various references) pijavica (bloodsucker, cow-leech), krvopija (bloodsucker, horseleech). (various references) sanguijuela (bloodsucker). (various references) blodigel, igel. (various references) ใช้ปลิง"ู"เลือ"ออก, ทำตัวเป็นกาฝาก, ปลิง"ู"เลือ". (various references) sülük (bloodsucker, cirrus), doktor (Doc, doctor, healer, medic, medico, medico-, physician, therapist), asalak tip (drone). (various references) sьlьk. (various references) кровопивця (caterpillar, spider, wringer), п'явка (blood sucker, caterpillar). (various references) thầy lang (powwow), cạnh bu"m. (various references) gelen. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | hirudo, sanguisugae. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "leech": leeched, leeches, leeching, leechlike. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "leech": fleech. (additional references) | |
Words containing "leech": fleeched, fleeches, fleeching. (additional references) | |
| |
"Leech" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: bleech, eech, eehh, Gleich, Ilych, Laach, laich, lauch, layedh, leacj, leah, learch, leasch, leatch, Lecc, lech, lechy, leeche, leechy, leeki, leesh, Leicht, leitch, lek, Lekh, Lencho, Lepcha, lerch, lesche, Lescht, leseth, leuk, Lewchuk, liech, Loesch, Lovech, Lupecci, lyc, lych, lyeth, lyk, lysh, lytch, plech, sleech. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "leech" (pronounced lē"kh) |
| 3 | l ē" kh | bleach, Leach. |
| 2 | -ē" kh | beach, beech, breach, breech, each, impeach, peach, preach, reach, screech, speech, teach. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-e-e-h-l" | |
-1 letter: eche, heel, lech. | |
-2 letters: cee, cel, eel, lee. | |
-3 letters: eh, el, he. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-e-e-h-l" | |
+1 letter: chelae, fleche, fleech, heckle, leched, lecher, leches, lechwe, lichee, lychee. | |
+2 letters: belched, belcher, belches, caleche, cheerly, chelate, echelle, echelon, elenchi, fleches, heckled, heckler, heckles, helices, leached, leacher, leaches, lechers, lechery, lechwes, leeched, leeches, letched, letches, lichees, lychees, vehicle, welched, welcher, welches. | |
+3 letters: acalephe, bechamel, beclothe, belchers, bleached, bleacher, bleaches, blenched, blencher, blenches, caleches, cheekful, cheekily, cheerful, cheerily, cheerled, cheesily, chelated, chelates, cheliped, chenille, chevalet, chewable, chiseled, chiseler, clenched, clencher, clenches, clerihew, cochleae, cogwheel, echelles, echelons, echoless, elenchic, elenchus, eschewal, fleeched, fleeches, flenched, flenches, fletched, fletcher, fletches, hecklers, hemocoel, hercules, leachate, leachers, leachier, lechered, leeching, lichened, penuchle, pleached, pleaches, plenches, reclothe, schedule, schliere, schmelze, shoelace, vehicles, welchers. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)4C 65 65 63 68 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references).-.. . . -.-. .... |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01001100 01100101 01100101 01100011 01101000 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)L e e c h |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)004C 0065 0065 0063 0068 |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)4671716974 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Quotations: Familiar | 9. Quotations: Fiction 10. Quotations: Non-fiction 11. Usage Frequency 12. Names: Frequency | 13. Expressions 14. Expressions: Internet 15. Translations: Modern 16. Translations: Ancient | 17. Derivations 18. Rhymes 19. Anagrams 20. Orthography | 21. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
