Idiom
leg it
Meanings
To run away quickly, especially to avoid danger, trouble, or being caught.
Definition
To leg it means to run away quickly, especially to escape trouble.
If you leg it, you leave a place very fast by running, often because you are scared or don’t want to be caught. It is an informal expression used especially in British English. People commonly use it when someone suddenly decides to flee a situation.
Examples
- When the alarm went off, we leg it out of the building.
- He saw the police car and decided to leg it.
- If your mum gets home early, leg it out the back door.
- They realised they were in the wrong place and leg it straight away.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use it for ordinary walking; it usually means running away quickly, often to escape trouble.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (verb phrase)s
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- drop the ball To drop the ball means to make a mistake or fail to do something you were responsible for.
- have a chinwag To have a chinwag means to have a relaxed, friendly chat with someone.
- face the music To accept and deal with the unpleasant consequences of what you have done or a difficult situation.