legs

leg

n.

2. A supporting part resembling a leg in shape or function.

3. One of the branches of a forked or jointed object.

4. The part of a garment, especially of a pair of pants, that covers the leg.

5. Mathematics Either side of a right triangle that is not the hypotenuse.

7. legs The narrow streams of swirled wine or spirits that run slowly down along the inside of a glass, often believed to indicate that the liquid is full-bodied.

8. legs Slang The ability to last or sustain success, especially by appealing to an audience: a blockbuster movie that has legs.

intr.v. legged, leg·ging, legs Informal

To go on foot; walk or run. Often used with the indefinite it: Because we missed the bus, we had to leg it across town.

a leg to stand on Slang

A justifiable or logical basis for defense; support: He doesn't have a leg to stand on in this debate.

a leg up Slang

1. The act or an instance of assisting; a boost.

2. A position of advantage; an edge: We have a leg up on the competition.

on (one's) last legs

At the end of one's strength or resources; ready to collapse, fail, or die.

See Also: PAIN, PHYSICAL FEELINGS

1. Ankles fine as an antelope’s —Josephine Edgar
2. Ankles like door knobs —Anon
3. The calves of her legs were as taut and stiff as anchor chains —Mary Ellen Chase
4. Feet heavy as anchors —Richard Ford
5. Feet large as spades —Aharon Megged
6. Feet like canoes —Herbert Wilner
7. Feet … swollen, driven through my shoes like devilled egg through a pastry bag —Ira Wood
8. Feet … tripping like the feet of a restless pony —Adela Rogers St. John
9. (The fiddler’s) feet were like the black hooves of a trotting horse that never seemed to touch the ground —Will Weaver

   See Also: DANCING

10. Her bony toes seemed as long and articulate as fingers —Thomas Williams
11. Her legs were shapeless … like a fisherwoman’s —H. E. Bates
12. His legs felt like two old rusted rain gutters —Flannery O’Connor
13. (She was a vast blonde girl, with) huge limbs like a piece of modern sculpture —Barbara Pym
14. Knees tuck out … like two hard-boiled eggs —Anne Piper
15. Legs bowed like a wishbone —Ian MacMillan

    See Also: BENDING/BENT

16. Legs … as heavy as sunken logs —Nolan Miller
17. Legs as shapeless and almost as thin as the lines in a child’s drawing —Niven Busch
18. Legs as thick as newel posts —F. van Wyck Mason
19. Legs bent like monster springs —Richard S. Prather
20. Legs … bowed, rickety, like bent pipes —George Garrett
21. Legs have gone mottled, like Roquefort cheese —Nadine Gordimer

    Another simile to describe the effects of cellulite is “Thighs like cottage cheese.”

22. Legs in motion like the hind parts of a dog —David Ignatow
23. Legs knotted and angular as whittled wood —George Garrett
24. Legs like a baseball bat —Delmore Schwartz
25. (A large man with) legs like a billiard table —Joyce Cary
26. Legs like an emaciated monkey’s —Louis-Ferdinand Celine
27. Legs like redwood trees —Pat Conroy
28. Legs … like two pillars —Bertold Brecht
29. Legs moving like the hammers of a grand piano —Paul Kuttner
30. Legs shaped like lion’s paws —Jilly Cooper
31. Legs solid as tree trunks —Richard Deming
32. Legs … stiff as a wooden soldier’s legs —William Kotzwinkle,
33. Legs … straight as a pair of poplar trees in a storm —Ariel Dorfman See Also: STRAIGHTNESS
34. Legs were strong as old roots —Truman Capote
35. Legs that were too long, like a colt’s —Beryl Markham
36. Long, thin legs like wading birds —Elizabeth Hardwick
37. My feet feel like balloons —Anthony Powell
38. (The young lady has) a pair of ankles like chianti bottles —George Jean Nathan

    See Also: INSULTS

39. The pull of the tendons at his ankle like the taut ropes that control the sails of ships —Nadine Gordimer
40. She (a ballet dancer) has legs like a Fordham tackle —Irwin Shaw
41. Skinny legs, like the legs of a turkey gobbler —Ellen Glasgow
42. Swings his game leg like a gate, creaking on its hinges —Bette Howland
43. Thighs big as trees —John D. MacDonald
44. Thighs like a wild mare —Thomas Williams
45. Thighs like pillars of a temple —Peter De Vries
46. Thighs like twin portals —Paule Marshall
47. Thighs solid as poplars —Sharon Sheehe Stark
48. Thighs … they look like they’re made of steel —Jonathan Valin
49. Varicose veins crawled like fat blue worms under her stockings —Ross Macdonald
50. Veins like big ugly worms —James Crumley