Leap
/liːp/
nounverbB1
Definition
As a verb, leap means to jump high or far, usually using your legs and feet to move quickly through the air. As a noun, it refers to the action or the distance of this jump. Leap can also describe a large or sudden change in ideas, progress, or feelings.
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⚡ See It in Action
To jump or spring into the air or across a space
- •The cat leaped over the fence to catch the bird.
- •She leaped from the rock into the water.
- •He leaped quickly to catch the ball.
A big or sudden change or improvement
- •The company made a leap in technology with its new invention.
- •There was a leap in her confidence after the speech.
- •Scientists hope for a leap forward in cancer research.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "leap" like "jump" (A1 word), but usually bigger, faster, and more sudden
- ✓Picture a frog quickly jumping over a pond or a person jumping over a small wall
- ✓It's the feeling of excitement and energy when you suddenly move forward or make a big change
- ✓Sounds like "leap" → imagine someone leaping over a big gap with a loud "leap!" sound
- ✓In stories, heroes often take a leap of faith, meaning they try something risky without knowing the result
- ✓NOT like "step" (small, slow movement), leap is a big and fast movement through the air
- ✓NOT like "hop" (small, short jump), leap is longer and more powerful
- ✓Leap as a change means a big jump forward, NOT a small or slow improvement
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Jump: to push yourself off the ground into the air (Use when the movement is smaller or less sudden)
- •Bound: to jump with long steps (Use when the jump is energetic and covers distance)
- •Vault: to jump over something using your hands (Use when jumping over an object with help)
- •Surge: a sudden strong increase or movement (Use when talking about sudden change or progress)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: Root word "leap" (no prefix or suffix)
- •Etymology: Old English "hlēapan," meaning to jump or spring
- •Historical development: Used since early English to describe jumping actions; later extended metaphorically to sudden changes or progress
- •Modern usage: Common in both physical movement and figurative language about change or progress
- •Interesting fact: "Leap year" is a special year with an extra day, named because the calendar "jumps" ahead
💭 Reflect & Connect
•When have you taken a leap, either physically or in your life, and what happened?
•How can the idea of a "leap" help us understand both movement and big changes in life?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The athlete made a ___ over the high bar to win the competition.
2.When she heard the good news, her heart seemed to ___ with joy.
3.A leap in technology can ___ the way people live and work.
4.Unlike a small step, a leap covers a much ___ distance in the air.
5.Sometimes people take a leap of faith when they ___ a new job without knowing the outcome.
6.The frog leaped ___ across the pond to escape the predator.
7.After the training, he made a big leap ___ his skills and confidence.