Definition of "leech"

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

'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

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

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

Many skillful leeches him abide to salve his hurts.

1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie

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.

1610, Bolton, Armoriesː

Thus virtuous Orsin was endued / With learning, conduct, fortitude / Incomparable; and as the prince / Of poets, Homer, sung long since, / A skilful leech is better far, / Than half a hundred men of war [...]

1662, [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of Hudibras]”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge: University Press, 1905, page 2

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)

For the sake of the minister’s health, and to enable the leech to gather plants with healing balm in them, they took long walks on the seashore or in the forest; mingling various talk with the plash and murmur of the waves, and the solemn wind anthem among in treetops.

1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, page 146

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

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

Paid for leeching.. my horses very sick.

1564, Accounts of Louth Corporalː

To one man (that) broke his leg in Strivelin … Item to the man that leecheth him.

1566–74, Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotlandː

though there are many Pretenders to the Art of Farriering and Cow-leeching, yet many of them are very ignorant , especially in the Countrie

1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], published 1708

A disease that none may leech.

1850, Blackieː

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

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