legend
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/
ipa: /ˈliːd͡ʒ.ənd/
Forms: form: legends
Etymology: From Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda (“a legend, story, especially the lives of the saints”), from Latin legenda (“things which ought to be read”), from lego (“I read”).
Senses: examples: text: As a child she had nothing to read but the legends of early Christian martyrs.
glosses: The life story of a saint (such stories are often embellished, but any kind is called a legend).
examples: text: The legend of Troy was discovered to have a historical basis.
glosses: An unrealistic story depicting past events.
A story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events.
synonyms: myth
examples: text: the legend of Robin Hood
glosses: An unrealistic story depicting past events.
A plausible story set in the historical past, but whose historicity is uncertain.
examples: text: The 1984 Rose Bowl prank has spawned many legends. Here's the real story.
glosses: An unrealistic story depicting past events.
A story in which a kernel of truth is embellished to an unlikely degree.
synonyms: myth
tall tale
examples: text: According to his legend, he once worked for the Red Cross, spreading humanitarian aid in Africa.
text: 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.
ref: 1992, Ronald Kessler, Inside the CIA, Pocket Books, published 1994, →ISBN, page 115:
text: Sorge solidified his own position by returning to Germany and developing a new legend. He joined the Nazi Party[…].
ref: 2003, Rodney Carlisle, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies and Espionage, Alpha Books, →ISBN, page 105:
text: 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.
ref: 2005, Curtis Peebles, Twilight Warriors, Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, page 25:
glosses: An unrealistic story depicting past events.
A fabricated backstory for a spy, with associated documents and records.
synonyms: cover story
examples: text: According to ancient legend, a Greek girl, partaking of saffron for an entire week, could not resist a lover.
ref: 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 212:
glosses: Such stories considered collectively; unverified traditional tales.
examples: text: Achilles is a legend in Greek culture.
glosses: A person related to a legend or legends.
A leading protagonist in a historical legend.
synonyms: hero
examples: text: Michael Jordan stands as a legend in basketball.
text: Sachin Tendulkar stands as a legend in cricket.
glosses: A person related to a legend or legends.
A person of extraordinary fame or accomplishments.
examples: text: I've lost my pen! —Here mate, borrow mine. —You legend.
glosses: A person related to a legend or legends.
A person of extraordinary fame or accomplishments.
A cool, nice or helpful person, especially one who is male.
synonyms: brick
examples: text: According to the legend on the map, that building is a school.
topics: cartography
geography
natural-sciences
synonyms: guide
key
glosses: A key to the symbols and color codes on a map, chart, etc.
examples: text: Further clues are provided by milk-floats bearing the legend 'Lord Rayleigh's Dairies: A Family Business', and a number of signs indicating the whereabouts of various departments of Lord Rayleigh's Farms.
ref: 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 375, about Terling:
text: […]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.
ref: 1987, Gene Wolfe, chapter XLVIII, in The Urth of the New Sun, 1st US edition, New York: Tor Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 281:
topics: government
heraldry
hobbies
lifestyle
monarchy
nobility
numismatics
politics
synonyms: inscription
glosses: 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.
glosses: A musical composition set to a poetical story.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1929, Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers, Inc, page 304:
text: 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.
ref: 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:
topics: government
military
naval
navy
politics
war
glosses: The design and specification of a vessel.
Derived terms: black legend
legendic
legend in one's own lifetime
legend in one's own lunchtime
legend in one's own mind
legend in one's own time
legendist
legendization
legendize
legendless
legendmaker
legendry
living legend
skinny legend
sublegend
urban legend
Related terms: lege
legendary