英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

leery (adj.)[leery 词源字典]: "untrusting, suspicious, alert," 1718, originally slang, with -y (2), and perhaps from dialectal lere "learning, knowledge" (see lore), or from leer (v.) in some now-obscure sense. OED suggests connection with archaic leer (adj.) "empty, useless," a general Germanic word (cognate with German leer, Dutch laar), of unknown origin.[leery etymology, leery origin, 英语词源]
lees (n.): late 14c., from Old French lies, plural of lie "sediment," probably from Celtic (compare Old Irish lige "a bed, a lying"), from PIE root *legh- "to lie" (see lie (v.2)).
leet (2): by 1997, ASCII alternative alphabet used mostly in Internet chat, derived from elite, and sometimes the word is used in that sense (for example in online gaming).
leet (1): in reference to special court proceedings, late 13c., from Anglo-French lete, Anglo-Latin leta, of unknown origin; OED suggests possible connection to let (v.).
leeward (adj.): 1660s, "situated away from the wind," on the opposite of the weather side of the ship; from lee + -ward.
leeway (n.): 1660s, sideways drift of a ship caused by wind, from lee + way (n.). Figurative meaning "extra space" is by 1835.
left (adj.): c. 1200, from Kentish and northern English form of Old English lyft- "weak, foolish" (compare lyft-adl "lameness, paralysis," East Frisian luf, Dutch dialectal loof "weak, worthless"). It emerged 13c. as "opposite of right" (the left being usually the weaker hand), a derived sense also found in cognate Middle Dutch and Low German luchter, luft. But German link, Dutch linker "left" are from Old High German slinc and Middle Dutch slink "left," related to Old English slincan "crawl," Swedish linka "limp," slinka "dangle."

Replaced Old English winestra, literally "friendlier," a euphemism used superstitiously to avoid invoking the unlucky forces connected with the left side (see sinister). The Kentish word itself may have been originally a taboo replacement, if instead it represents PIE root *laiwo-, meaning "considered conspicuous" (represented in Greek laios, Latin laevus, and Russian levyi). Greek also uses a euphemism for "left," aristeros "the better one" (compare also Avestan vairyastara- "to the left," from vairya- "desirable"). But Lithuanian kairys "left" and Lettish kreilis "left hand" derive from a root that yields words for "twisted, crooked."

As an adverb from early 14c. As a noun from c. 1200. Political sense arose from members of a legislative body assigned to the left side of a chamber, first attested in English 1837 (by Carlyle, in reference to the French Revolution), probably a loan-translation of French la gauche (1791), said to have originated during the seating of the French National Assembly in 1789 in which the nobility took the seats on the President's right and left the Third Estate to sit on the left. Became general in U.S. and British political speech c. 1900.

Used since at least c. 1600 in various senses of "irregular, illicit;" earlier proverbial sense was "opposite of what is expressed" (mid-15c.). Phrase out in left field "out of touch with pertinent realities" is attested from 1944, from the baseball fielding position that tends to be far removed from the play. To have two left feet "be clumsy" is attested by 1902. The Left Bank of Paris (left bank of the River Seine, as you face downstream) has been associated with intellectual and artistic culture since at least 1893.
left (v.): past tense and past participle of leave (v.).
left wing (n.): also (as an adjective) left-wing, 1871 in the political sense (1530s in a military formation sense), from left (adj.) + wing (n.). Related: Left-winger.
left-handed (adj.): late 14c., of persons; 1650s of tools, etc., from left (adj.) + -handed. In 15c. it also could mean "maimed." Sense of "underhanded" is from early 17c., as in left-handed compliment (1787, also attested 1855 in pugilism slang for "a punch with the left fist"), as is that of "illicit" (as in left-handed marriage). Related: Left-handedly; left-handedness.
leftish (adj.): 1934, in the political sense, from left (adj.) + -ish.
leftism (n.): 1917, from left in the political sense + -ism.
leftist (adj.): 1897, from left (adj.) in the political sense + -ist.
leftover (adj.): also left-over, "remaining, not used up," 1890, from left + over. The noun meaning "something left over" is from 1891; leftovers "excess food after a meal" (especially if re-served later) is from 1878; in this sense Old English had metelaf.
leftward (adv.): late 15c., from left (adj.) + -ward. Related: Leftwards.
lefty (n.): "left-handed person," 1886, American English, baseball slang, from left + -y (3). Political sense by 1935.
leg (n.): late 13c., from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse leggr "leg, bone of the arm or leg," from Proto-Germanic *lagjaz, with no certain ulterior connections, perhaps from a PIE root meaning "to bend" [Buck]. Compare German Bein "leg," in Old High German "bone, leg." Replaced Old English shank. Of furniture supports from 1670s. The meaning "a part or stage of a journey or race" (1920) is from earlier sailing sense of "a run made on a single tack" (1867), which was usually qualified as long leg, short leg, etc. Slang phrase shake a leg "dance" is attested from 1881. To be on (one's) last legs "at the end of one's life" is from 1590s.
leg (v.): "to use the legs; walk or run," c. 1500 (from the beginning usually with it); from leg (n.).
leg up (n.): "aid, boost," 1837, from leg (n.) + up.
leg-warmer (n.): 1974, from leg + agent noun from warm (v.). Related: Leg-warmers.