Definition of "legend"

legend

/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural legends
1. An unrealistic story depicting past events.
  1. A story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events.
  2. A plausible story set in the historical past, but whose historicity is uncertain.
  3. A story in which a kernel of truth is embellished to an unlikely degree.
  4. A fabricated backstory for a spy, with associated documents and records.
    Quotations
    If the documents are needed to establish "a light legend," meaning a superficial cover story, no steps are taken to make sure that if someone calls the college or motor vehicle department, the name on the document will be registered.
    1992, Ronald Kessler, Inside the CIA, Pocket Books, published 1994, page 115
    Sorge solidified his own position by returning to Germany and developing a new legend. He joined the Nazi Party […] .
    2003, Rodney Carlisle, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies and Espionage, Alpha Books, page 105
    Both the agent's legend and documents were intended to stand up against casual questions from Soviet citizens, such as during a job interview, or a routine police document check, such as were made at railway stations.
    2005, Curtis Peebles, Twilight Warriors, Naval Institute Press, page 25
2. A person related to a legend or legends.
  1. A leading protagonist in a historical legend.
  2. A person with legend-like qualities, such as extraordinary accomplishment.
    (UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, colloquial, slang) A cool, nice or helpful person, especially one who is male.
3. A key to the symbols and color codes on a map, chart, etc.
4. (numismatics, heraldry) An inscription, motto, or title, especially one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon a heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.
  Quotations
  […] there were three small brass coins there, the gift of Ymar. Their legends, like their faces, had worn away; and they were dark with verdigris — in appearance precisely the ancient things they were.
  1987, Gene Wolfe, chapter XLVIII, in The Urth of the New Sun, 1st US edition, New York: Tor Books, page 281
5. A musical composition set to a poetical story.
6. (naval) The design and specification of a vessel.
  Quotations
  The legend displacement on the basis then in use was 48,000 tons, the corresponding standard displacement as defined by the Washington Treaty being 47,540 tons.
  1929, Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers, Inc, page 304
  The legend and sketch designs were submitted to the Board on 27th March 1916 and, after examining a model and the drawings, the Sea Lords generally favoured proposal 'B'; the extra weight involved being acceptable.
  1976, Alan Raven, John Roberts, British Battleships of World War Two: The Development and Technical History of the Royal Navy's Battleships and Battlecruisers from 1911 to 1946, page 63
verb
third-person singular simple present legends, present participle legending, simple past and past participle legended
1. (archaic, transitive) To tell or narrate; to recount.
  Quotations
  Nor ladie's wanton love , nor wand'ring knight, Legend I out in rymes all richly dight
  c. 1600, John Ayliffe, Satires