7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Leech  \Leech\  (l[=e]ch),  n. 
  See  2d  {Leach}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Leech  \Leech\,  v.  t. 
  See  {Leach},  v.  t. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Leech  \Leech\,  n.  [Cf.  LG  leik,  Icel.  l[=i]k,  Sw  lik  boltrope, 
  st[*a]ende  liken  the  leeches.]  (Naut.) 
  The  border  or  edge  at  the  side  of  a  sail.  [Written  also 
  {leach}.] 
 
  {Leech  line},  a  line  attached  to  the  leech  ropes  of  sails, 
  passing  up  through  blocks  on  the  yards,  to  haul  the 
  leeches  by  --Totten. 
 
  {Leech  rope},  that  part  of  the  boltrope  to  which  the  side  of 
  a  sail  is  sewed. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Leech  \Leech\,  n.  [OE.  leche,  l[ae]che,  physician,  AS  l[=ae]ce; 
  akin  to  Fries.  l[=e]tza,  OHG.  l[=a]hh[=i],  Icel.  l[ae]knari, 
  Sw  l["a]kare,  Dan.  l[ae]ge,  Goth.  l[=e]keis,  AS  l[=a]cnian 
  to  heal,  Sw  l["a]ka,  Dan.  l[ae]ge,  Icel.  l[ae]kna,  Goth. 
  l[=e]kin[=o]n.] 
  1.  A  physician  or  surgeon;  a  professor  of  the  art  of  healing. 
  [Written  also  {leach}.]  [Archaic]  --Spenser. 
 
  Leech,  heal  thyself.  --Wyclif  (Luke 
  iv  23). 
 
  2.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  one  of  numerous  genera  and  species  of 
  annulose  worms,  belonging  to  the  order  {Hirudinea},  or 
  Bdelloidea,  esp.  those  species 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Leech  \Leech\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Leeched}  (l[=e]cht);  p.  pr 
  &  vb  n.  {Leeching}.] 
  1.  To  treat  as  a  surgeon;  to  doctor;  as  to  leech  wounds. 
  [Archaic] 
 
  2.  To  bleed  by  the  use  of  leeches. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  leech 
  n  1:  carnivorous  or  bloodsucking  aquatic  or  terrestrial  worms 
  typically  having  a  sucker  at  each  end  [syn:  {bloodsucker}, 
  {hirudinean}] 
  2:  a  follower  who  hangs  around  in  hope  of  gain  or  advantage 
  [syn:  {minion},  {parasite},  {sponge}] 
  v  :  draw  blood;  "In  the  old  days,  doctors  routinely  bled 
  patients  as  part  of  the  treatment"  [syn:  {bleed},  {phlebotomize}] 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  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. 
 
 

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