English Explanatory Dictionary

limb

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A major appendage of human or animal, used for locomotion (such as an arm, leg or wing).
  2. A branch of a tree.
  3. The part of the bow, from the handle to the tip.
  4. An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock.
  5. A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else.
  6. Ellipsis of limb of Satan (“a wicked or mischievous child”).
verb
  1. To remove the limbs from (an animal or tree).
  2. To supply with limbs.
  3. To thoroughly defeat an opponent in fisticuffs
noun
  1. The apparent visual edge of a celestial body.
  2. The graduated edge of a circle or arc.
  3. The border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal or sepal; blade.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/lɪm/ en-us-limb.ogg

Word forms

limb limbs limbing limbed

Etymology

From Middle English lyme, lim, from Old English lim (“limb, branch”), from Proto-West Germanic *limu, from Proto-Germanic *limuz (“branch, limb”). Cognate with Old Norse limr (“limb”). The spelling with the silent unetymological -b first arose in the late 1500s. Compare crumb.

Synonyms

limb bough delimb

Derived words

belimb CHILD syndrome dislimb forelimb go out on a limb hind limb interlimb intralimb life and limb limb brightening limb darkening limb from limb limb girdle syndrome limbless limbline limb-mammary syndrome limbmeal limb of the law limbward limby mooselimb out on a limb phantom limb renal dysplasia-limb defects syndrome risk life and limb risk one's life and limb Roux limb unlimb limb-brightened limb-brightening limb-darkened limb-darkening

Translations

Bulgarian: разчленявам Bulgarian: разчленя Chinese Mandarin: 支解 Finnish: karsia Finnish: rankoa French: démembrer German: zergliedern Ingrian: karsia Japanese: 切り放す Macedonian: обесчле́нува Polish: usunąć gałęzie Polish: ścinać gałęzie Polish: rozczłonkowywać Portuguese: desmembrar Portuguese: desgalhar Russian: расчленя́ть Russian: расчлени́ть Swedish: kvista
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