leech

Etymology 1

From Middle English leche (“blood-sucking worm”), from Old English lǣċe (“blood-sucking worm”), akin to Middle Dutch lāke ("blood-sucking worm"; > modern Dutch laak).

noun

1. An aquatic blood-sucking annelid of class Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
   The leech on his leg had swelled to more than five inches long, puffed and swollen on his blood. 2003, William W. Johnstone, The Last Of The Dog Team, page 195
2. (figurative) A person who derives profit from others in a parasitic fashion.
   'Wrecked his body and his mind, no use to hisself or his family or nobody, just a leech on society'. 2000, Ray Garmon, The Man Who Just Didn't Care, page 20
   At this point, I felt this man was a leech. I suspected that he had spent a lifetime living off the good will of women that he met. 2006, D. L. Harman, A State of Nine One One, page 106
3. (medicine, dated) A glass tube designed for drawing blood from damaged tissue by means of a vacuum.

verb

1. (transitive, literally) To apply a leech medicinally, so that it sucks blood from the patient.
   The poppy made him sleep and while he slept they leeched him to drain off the bad blood. 2003, George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords
2. (transitive, figurative) To drain (resources) without giving back.
   Bert leeched hundreds of files from the BBS, but never uploaded anything in return.
   Guinea is also blocking Strasser's efforts to stop illegal fishing in Sierra Leone's territorial waters and the smuggling of gold and diamonds, which leech hundreds of millions of dollars from the country's economy. 1992, AfricAsia, 2 (1): 12

Etymology 2

From Middle English leche (“physician”), from Old English lǣċe (“doctor, physician”), from Proto-West Germanic *lākī, from Proto-Germanic *lēkijaz (“doctor”), of disputed origin, but usually thought to be connected with Proto-Celtic (compare Old Irish líaig (“charmer, exorcist, physician”)) and Serbo-Croatian ljèkār, Polish lekarz (“physician, doctor”); perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (“to collect, gather”). Cognate with Old Frisian lētza (“physician”), Old Saxon lāki (“physician”), Old High German lāhhi (“doctor, healer”), Danish læge (“doctor, surgeon”), Gothic 𐌻𐌴𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍃 (lēkeis, “physician”).

noun

1. (archaic) A physician.
   1610, Bolton, Armoriesː The word Physitian we do vulgarly abuse (as we doe very many other(s)) for a Leech , or Medicus.
   1610, Bolton, Armoriesː As if an expert leech must needs be expert in the physicks (that is, in those speculations which concerne the workes of nature) the nearest word to fall with our tongue, yet not farre from the thing, was physitian.
   Can this proud leech, with all his boasted skill, / Amend the soul or body, wit or will? 1807, George Crabbeː, (Please provide the book title or journal name)
   He coughed sputum stained with blood, and a scraping, crackling noise came from his chest, quite audible to anyone in the room. ‘Lungs possibly not too good,’ the leech said. 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial, published 2007, page 11
2. (Germanic paganism) A healer.
   Their functions are threefold, those of the medicine-man (the leech, or healer by supernatural means); of the soothsayer (the prophet through communion with the invisible world); and of the priest, especially in his capacity as exorcist 1900, Augustus Henry Keane, Man, Past and Present, Cambridge: The University Press
   In ancient times runesters were a specialized class separate from that of the witch or ordinary spell caster (much as the other specialists such as the leech or healer and the seithkona were different from a witch), and even today many believe it takes years of training to become adept at using the runes in spell work. 1996, Swain Wodening, “Scandinavian Craft Lesson 6: Runic Divination”, Theod Magazine 3 (4)
   "Leech?" "Not another doctor". 2003, Brian Froud, Ari Berk, The Runes of Elfland, Pavillion Books, page 22
   There are many kinds of "Leech" or "healer" as there are healing techniques, some are more powerful than others and some are very specific to certain illnesses and complaints; some use potions and unguents, others crystals and stones, others galdr and some work their healing from within the hidden realms themselves. 2004, Runic John, The Book of Seidr, Capall Bann Publishing, page 282

Etymology 3

From Middle English lechen (“to cure, heal, treat”), from Middle English leche (“doctor, physician”). Compare Swedish läka (“to heal”).

verb

1. (archaic, rare) To treat, cure or heal.
   1564, Accounts of Louth Corporalː Paid for leeching.. my horses very sick.
   1566–74, Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotlandː To one man (that) broke his leg in Strivelin … Item to the man that leecheth him.
   1850, Blackieː A disease that none may leech.

Etymology 4

From Middle English lek, leche, lyche, from Old Norse lík (“leechline”), from Proto-West Germanic *līk, from Proto-Germanic *līką (compare West Frisian lyk (“band”), Dutch lijk (“boltrope”), Middle High German geleich (“joint, limb”)), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- ‘to bind’ (compare Latin ligō (“tie, bind”), Ukrainian нали́гати (nalýhaty, “to bridle, fetter”), Albanian lidh (“to bind”), Hittite link- (caus. linganu-) ‘to swear’ (with -n- infix).

noun

1. (nautical) The vertical edge of a square sail.
   To help combat these problems, almost all sailmakers trim the leeches of their headsails to a hollow or concave profile and enclose a LEECHLINE within the leech tabling. 1984, Sven Donaldson, A Sailor's Guide to Sails, page 130
2. (nautical) The aft edge of a triangular sail.
   Trim the leech of the jib parallel to the main by watching the slot between the mainsail and the jib. 2004, Gary Jobson, Gary Jobson's Championship Sailing, page 176