limb, n. [OE. lim, AS. lim; akin to Icel. limr limb, lim branch of a tree, Sw. & Dan. lem limb; cf. also AS. li, OHG. lid, gilid, G. glied, Goth. li. Cf. Lith, Limber.].

A part of a tree which extends from the trunk and separates into branches and twigs; a large branch. [1913 Webster]

An arm or a leg of a human being; a leg, arm, or wing of an animal. [1913 Webster]
"A second Hector for his grim aspect,
And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs." [1913 Webster]

A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"That little limb of the devil has cheated the gallows." [1913 Webster]

An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock. [1913 Webster]

Limb of the law, a lawyer or an officer of the law. [Colloq.] Landor.

limb, v. t.

To supply with limbs. Milton. [1913 Webster]

To dismember; to tear off the limbs of. [1913 Webster]

limb, n. [L. limbus border. Cf. Limbo, Limbus.].

A border or edge, in certain special uses. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

limb, n.
1 any of the projecting parts of a person's or animal's body used for contact or movement.
2 a large branch of a tree.
3 a branch of a cross.
4 a spur of a mountain.
5 a clause of a sentence.

Idiom

out on a limb
1 isolated, stranded.
2 at a disadvantage. tear limb from limb violently dismember. with life and limb (esp. escape) without grave injury.

Derivative

limbed adj. (also in comb.). limbless adj.

limb, n.
1 Astron. a a specified edge of the sun, moon, etc. (eastern limb; lower limb). b the graduated edge of a quadrant etc.
2 Bot. the broad part of a petal, sepal, or leaf.

Etymology

F limbe or L limbus hem, border

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DEVIL DICTIONARY

limb
n. The branch of a tree or the leg of an American woman.

'Twas a pair of boots that the lady bought,
And the salesman laced them tight
To a very remarkable height --
Higher, indeed, than I think he ought --
Higher than _can_ be right.
For the Bible declares -- but never mind:
It is hardly fit
To censure freely and fault to find
With others for sins that I'm not inclined
Myself to commit.
Each has his weakness, and though my own
Is freedom from every sin,
It still were unfair to pitch in,
Discharging the first censorious stone.
Besides, the truth compels me to say,
The boots in question were _made_ that way.
As he drew the lace she made a grimace,
And blushingly said to him:
"This boot, I'm sure, is too high to endure,
It hurts my -- hurts my -- limb."
The salesman smiled in a manner mild,
Like an artless, undesigning child;
Then, checking himself, to his face he gave
A look as sorrowful as the grave,
Though he didn't care two figs
For her paints and throes,
As he stroked her toes,
Remarking with speech and manner just
Befitting his calling: "Madam, I trust
That it doesn't hurt your twigs."
B. Percival Dike

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THESAURUS

limb
ankle, appendage, arm, bank, bar, bayonet legs, beam, bine, board, boom, border, bordure, bough, bowlegs, branch, branchedness, branchiness, brim, brink, brow, burgeon, calf, cant hook, claw bar, cnemis, coast, crank, crow, crowbar, deadwood, devil, drumstick, edge, enfant terrible, featheredge, flagellum, flange, foreleg, fork, frame, fringe, frond, gamb, gambrel, gigot, ham, hand, handspike, hem, hind leg, hock, imp, iron crow, jamb, jimmy, joint, knee, labellum, labium, labrum, ledge, leg, lever, limbus, link, lip, list, lobe, lobule, marge, margin, marlinespike, member, mischief, offshoot, organ, outrigger, peavey, pedal, pinch bar, pinion, podite, popliteal space, prize, pry, ragged edge, ramage, ramification, rapscallion, rascal, rim, ripping bar, rogue, runner, sarment, scalawag, scion, scissor-legs, selvage, shank, shin, shoot, shore, side, sideline, skirt, slip, spar, spear, spray, sprig, sprit, sprout, spur, stems, stolon, stumps, sucker, switch, tail, tarsus, tendril, thallus, treadle, trotters, twig, verge, villain, wing, wrecking bar

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ROGET THESAURUS

limb

Instrument
N instrument, machinery, mechanism, engineering, instrument, organ, tool, implement, utensil, machine, engine, lathe, gin, mill, air engine, caloric engine, heat engine, gear, tackle, tackling, rig, rigging, apparatus, appliances, plant, materiel, harness, trappings, fittings, accouterments, barde, equipment, equipmentage, appointments, furniture, upholstery, chattels, paraphernalia, mechanical powers, lever, leverage, mechanical advantage, crow, crowbar, handspike, gavelock, jemmy, jimmy, arm, limb, wing, oar, paddle, pulley, wheel and axle, wheelwork, clockwork, wheels within wheels, pinion, crank, winch, cam, pedal, capstan, wheel, inclined plane, wedge, screw, spring, mainspring, can hook, glut, heald, heddle, jenny, parbuckle, sprag, water wheel, handle, hilt, haft, shaft, heft, shank, blade, trigger, tiller, helm, treadle, key, turnscrew, screwdriver, knocker, hammer, edge tool, borer, vice, teeth, nail, rope, peg, support, spoon, arms, oar, cardiograph, recapper, snowplow, tenpenny, votograph, instrumental, mechanical, machinal, brachial.

Part
N part, portion, dose, item, particular, aught, any, division, ward, subdivision, section, chapter, clause, count, paragraph, verse, article, passage, sector, segment, fraction, fragment, cantle, frustum, detachment, parcel, piece, lump, bit cut, cutting, chip, chunk, collop, slice, scale, lamina, small part, morsel, particle, installment, dividend, share, debris, odds and ends, oddments, detritus, excerpta, member, limb, lobe, lobule, arm, wing, scion, branch, bough, joint, link, offshoot, ramification, twig, bush, spray, sprig, runner, leaf, leaflet, stump, component part, sarmentum, compartment, department, county, fractional, fragmentary, sectional, aliquot, divided, in compartments, multifid, disconnected, partial, partly, in part, partially, piecemeal, part by part, by by installments, by snatches, by inches, by driblets, bit by bit, inch by inch, foot by foot, drop by drop, in detail, in lots.

Bad Man
N bad man, wrongdoer, worker of iniquity, evildoer, sinner, the wicked, bad example, villain, rascal, scoundrel, miscreant, budmash, caitiff, wretch, reptile, viper, serpent, cockatrice, basilisk, urchin, tiger, monster, devil, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Nana Sahib, hellhound, hellcat, rakehell, bad woman, jade, Jezebel, scamp, scapegrace, rip, runagate, ne'er-do-well, reprobate, scalawag, scallawag, rou_e, rake, Sadist, skeesicks, skeezix, limb, one who has sold himself to the devil, fallen angel, ame damnee, vaurien, mauvais sujet, loose fish, sad dog, rounder, lost sheep, black sheep, castaway, recreant, defaulter, prodigal, rough, rowdy, hooligan, tough, ugly customer, mean mother, ruffian, bully, meanie, Jonathan Wild, hangman, incendiary, arsonist, fire bug, thief, murderer, terrorist, culprit, delinquent, crook, hoodlum, hood, criminal, thug, malefactor, offender, perpetrator, perp, disorderly person, misdemeanant, outlaw, scofflaw, vandal, felon, (convicted criminal), criminal, convict, prisoner, inmate, jail bird, ticket of leave man, multiple offender, blackguard, polisson, loafer, sneak, rapscallion, rascallion, cullion, mean wretch, varlet, kern, ame-de-boue, drole, cur, dog, hound, whelp, mongrel, lown, loon, runnion, outcast, vagabond, rogue, ronian, scum of the earth, riffraff, Arcades ambo, Int, sirrah!, Acherontis pabulum, gibier de potence.

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