Phrase guide

show a leg

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To wake up and get out of bed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, imperative

Topics: nautical, transport

Examples

  • Show a leg or you’re going to be late.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Supposedly originated in the 19th-century Royal Navy as a waking call.