Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Limb
Limb
(lĭm)
, Noun.
1.
A part of a tree which extends from the trunk and separates into branches and twigs; a large branch.
2.
An arm or a leg of a human being; a leg, arm, or wing of an animal.
A second Hector for his grim aspect,
And large proportion of his strong-knit
And large proportion of his strong-knit
limbs
. Shakespeare
3.
A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else.
Shak.
That little
limb
of the devil has cheated the gallows. Sir W. Scott.
4.
An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock.
Limb of the law
, a lawyer or an officer of the law.
[Colloq.]
Landor.
Limb
,Verb.
T.
1.
To supply with limbs.
[R.]
Milton.
2.
To dismember; to tear off the limbs of.
Limb
,Noun.
A border or edge, in certain special uses.
(a)
(Bot.)
The border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal, or sepal; blade.
(b)
(Astron.)
The border or edge of the disk of a heavenly body, especially of the sun and moon.
(c)
The graduated margin of an arc or circle, in an instrument for measuring angles.
Webster 1828 Edition
Limb
LIMB
,Noun.
lim.
1.
Edge or border. This is the proper signification of the word; but in this sense it is limited chiefly to technical use, and applied to the sun, moon, or a star, to a leaf, to a quadrant, &c. We say, the sun or moon is eclipsed on its northern limb. But we never say, the limb of a board, of a tract of land or water, &c.2.
In anatomy, and in common use, an extremity of the human body; a member; a projecting part; as the arm or leg; that is, a shoot.3.
The branch of a tree; applied only to a branch of some size, and not to a small twig.4.
In botany, the border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corol.Definition 2024
limb
limb
English
Noun
limb (plural limbs)
- A major appendage of human or animal, used for locomotion (such as an arm, leg or wing).
- 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, Nobody, chapter I:
- Three chairs of the steamer type, all maimed, comprised the furniture of this roof-garden, with […] on one of the copings a row of four red clay flower-pots filled with sun-baked dust from which gnarled and rusty stalks thrust themselves up like withered elfin limbs.
- 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, Nobody, chapter I:
- A branch of a tree.
- (archery) The part of the bow, from the handle to the tip.
- (botany) The border or upper spreading part of a monopetalous corolla, or of a petal or sepal; blade.
- An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock.
- A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else.
- Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832)
- That little limb of the devil has cheated the gallows.
- Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832)
Derived terms
Translations
major appendage of human or animal
|
|
branch of a tree
Verb
limb (third-person singular simple present limbs, present participle limbing, simple past and past participle limbed)
- To remove the limbs from an animal or tree.
- They limbed the felled trees before cutting them into logs.
- To supply with limbs.
- Henry D. Thoreau, Walden:
- Man was not made so large limbed and robust but that he must seek to narrow his world and wall in a space such as fitted him.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)
- Henry D. Thoreau, Walden:
Synonyms
Translations
to remove limbs
|
Etymology 2
From Latin limbus (“border”).
Noun
limb (plural limbs)
- (astronomy) The apparent visual edge of a celestial body.
- solar limb
- (on a measuring instrument) The graduated edge of a circle or arc.
Translations
apparent visual edge
See also
| Picture dictionary | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
