leap

leap1 [ lip ] (past tense and past participle leaped or leapt [ lept ] ) verb **

1. ) intransitive move somewhere suddenly and quickly:

Gordon's secretary leaped to her feet (=suddenly stood up) when she saw me.

leap into/out of/from something: The suspect was seen leaping into a car and speeding off.

He leaped out of bed.

2. ) intransitive to jump into the air or over a long distance:

People were forced to leap to safety from the burning building.

leap into/from/onto: She leaped into the air with joy.

a ) transitive to jump over something:

The horse leapt the fence and galloped off down the track.

3. ) intransitive to suddenly improve, increase, or progress:

Sales have leaped 43% this quarter.

a ) to suddenly change to another time or situation, for example in a movie:

The action then leaps forward to 1989, when Rose is an elderly woman.

leap at the chance/offer/opportunity

to accept something quickly and in an enthusiastic way:

Klein leapt at the chance to appear in the show.

leap into action

to suddenly start doing something:

As the King approached, photographers leaped into action.

leap out at you or leap off the page

to be immediately obvious or immediately get your attention:

His name just leaped off the page at me.

leap to someone's defense

to quickly say or do something to help someone who is being criticized

look before you leap

used for saying that someone should think carefully before making a decision

=> HEART

leap

leap 2 [ lip ] noun count *

1. ) a jump, especially a long or high one:

a record-breaking leap of 2.04 meters

a flying leap (=high into the air): The angry monkey crossed the cage with a flying leap.

2. ) a sudden increase or improvement:

leap in: a huge leap in the price of gasoline

3. ) a big change in the way you think or in what you do:

Moving to a place where I knew no one was a big leap for me.

Most publishing companies have made the leap into multimedia.

by/in leaps and bounds

used for saying that something improves or increases a lot:

Murray has been working hard at his game and has progressed by leaps and bounds.

a leap in the dark

something you do without knowing the full situation and without knowing what the possible results might be

a leap of faith

a decision to believe that something is true or will happen although you have no proof