leash
LEESH
/liːʃ/
A strap or cord for restraining or guiding a dog or other animal.
Can be used metaphorically to mean 'control' or 'restraint.'
The story behind the word. Coming from the Old French 'laisse,' which meant a 'loose' or 'slack' rope. Ironically, we now use it to keep animals tight and under control.
Word relationships
- lead: In the UK, 'lead' is the standard term; 'leash' is more common in North America.
Commonly confused with
- tether: A leash is held by a person; a tether is tied to a fixed object like a post.
Collocations
- on a leash
- off the leash
- leash laws
Idioms & expressions
- strain at the leash (to be eager to do something)
- keep a tight leash on (to maintain strict control)
Example sentences
- "The dog was on a leash, but he was a very large dog." A mystery novel.
Memory hook
LEASH: It keeps the beast on a LEASH. The safety line.
When not to use
Don't confuse with 'collar' (the part around the neck) or 'harness' (the part around the body).
Fun facts
- Retractable leashes are often discouraged by professional trainers because they teach dogs that pulling actually gets them more freedom.
Related words
Explore more words
harness, muzzle, unfettered, restrict, throttle, unconstrained
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.