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Definition of limb noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

limb

noun
 
 
/lɪm/
 
/lɪm/
Idioms
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  1.  
    an arm or a leg; a similar part of an animal, such as a wing
    • an artificial limb
    • For a while, she lost the use of her limbs.
    Extra Examples
    • I stretched my limbs lazily as I sat up.
    • The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.
    • The missing limb did not lessen the quality of the cat's life.
    • Two arms reached around her flailing limbs.
    Topics Bodyc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • long
    • short
    • slender
    • …
    verb + limb
    • amputate
    • sever
    • lose
    • …
    limb + noun
    • development
    • growth
    • amputation
    • …
    See full entry
  2. -limbed
     (in adjectives) having the type of limbs mentioned
    • long-limbed
    • loose-limbed
    More Like This Compound adjectives for physical characteristicsCompound adjectives for physical characteristics
  3. a large branch of a tree
    More Like This Silent lettersSilent letters
    4. Word OriginOld English lim (also in the sense ‘organ or part of the body’), of Germanic origin.
Idioms
out on a limb
  1. (informal) not supported by other people
    • Are you prepared to go out on a limb (= risk doing something that other people are not prepared to do) and make your suspicions public?
    • His controversial stance has left him out on a limb.
risk life and limb
(also risk your neck)
  1. to risk being killed or injured in order to do something
    • She risked life and limb to save her children from the fire.
    More Like This Alliteration in idiomsAlliteration in idioms
tear/rip somebody limb from limb
  1. (often humorous) to attack somebody very violently
See limb in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee limb in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: limb

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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