Leg

The human leg

A leg is something used to support things; to hold them up. Birds and humans have two legs. Some objects, for example tables and chairs, also have legs to hold them up.

Legs, sitting sieza.

Animals normally have 2 or 4 legs (vertebrates, which are animals with a backbone), or 6, 8, or 12 (arthropods, for example insects and spiders). Centipedes and millipedes have a lot more legs, but not exactly a hundred or a thousand as their names make people who do not know them think. Humans have 2 legs, complete with feet.

Biped is an animal with two legs and quadruped is an animal with four legs.

People also use the word "leg" in idioms, for example:

• you do not have a leg to stand on (that means "you have no support; you have no chance in this discussion")
• to leg it (to run)
• to pull someone's leg (to play a little joke on someone for fun by trying to make them believe something that is not true)