Forms: 1 léap, 3–6 lep(e, 4–5 leep(e, 6–7 leape, 7– leap; dial. 5 leippe, 7–8 lib, 8 lip, 9 lep(e. [OE. léap str. masc. = ON. laup-r (MSw. löper).]
1. A basket. Now dial. Cf. SEED-LEAP.
c. 1000. Wulfstan, Hom., De Confessione (Napier), 293. Ða bær man up of ðan ðe hi læfdon twelf leapas fulle.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 359. Theȝ thu nime evere oth than lepe.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4486. A lepe … Wit bred þat i bar on mi heued. Ibid., 19719. In a lep men lete him dun Vte ouer þe walles o þe tun.
1388. Wyclif, Exod. ii. 3. Thanne sche took a leep of segge … and puttide the ȝong child with ynne.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), V. 195. Moyses thabbot … toke a lepe fulle of gravelle on his backe.
1495–6. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 653. Pro leippez et Scotellez pro granario.
1530. Palsgr., 238/2. Lepe or a basket, corbeille.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 23. The other leape is to putte the worst lockes of wooll into.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Lep, lepe, a large deep basket.
† b. Used locally as a measure; in Sussex, according to Ray, half a bushel. ? Obs.
1277. Extent Manor of Cerring, Suss., in Du Cange s.v., Lepa, Et colliget de nucibus in bosco comini tertiam partem unius mensuræ, quæ vocatur Lepe, quod est tertia pars 2 bussellorum, et valet quadrantem.
1674. Ray, S. & E. C. Words, 70. A Leap or Lib; Suss. Half a bushel.
2. A basket in which to catch or keep fish.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 167/14. Nassa, boȝenet, uel leap.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 5352. In lepes & in coufles so moche viss hii ssolleþ hom bringe þat ech mon ssal wondry of so gret cacchinge.
1382. Wyclif, Job xl. 26. Whether thou shalt fille nettis with his skyn, and the lep [1388 leep] of fisshis with the hed of hym?
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 297/1. Leep, for fysshe kepynge, or takynge, nassa.
1481–90. Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.), 363. Item … for makenge of lepes and othir gere for the kechyn to kepe ynne eles ij. s. ix. d.
1530. Palsgr., 287/2. Welle or lepe for fysshe, bouticle.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 7. [No person shal take] in any wele … lepe … or by any other engyne … the yonge frye … of any kynde of Salmon.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 218. Weaving them close together … after the maner of a fishers leape or weele net.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr. (1653), 172. The Osier … is of especiall use for … fishermen for making Leaps & instruments to catch fish in.
1873. Act 36 & 37 Vict., c. 71 § 15. Except wheels or leaps for taking lamperns.
3. attrib. and Comb., as leap maker, weel; † leap-head, a weel; † leap-hole (see quot. 1641).
1360–1. Durh. Acc. Rolls, 563. Johanni lepemaker pro 4 spartis pro bracina, 2 scuteles, 2 flekes [etc.], 8s. 4d.
1483. Cath. Angl., 213/2. A Lepe maker, cophinarius, corbio.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 248. A wonderfull number of these Yeels … insomuch as in the leapweeles and weernets … there be found somtime a thousand of them wrapped together in one ball.
1611. Cotgr., Mannequin … also, a little basket, leape-head, or weele, made of bullrushes, and vsed by fishermen.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 61. When … wee feare that it will heate in the mowe, then doe wee drawe up a leape aboute the middle of each roomstead; and soe by this meanes the storme getteth a vent by the leap-holes.
