noun
league
leeg
noun
1
A group of sports teams, or of countries or organizations, that compete together or work toward a shared goal.
"Their team finished second in the league this season."
"The two nations formed a league to promote free trade."
2
An old unit of distance, roughly three miles, based on how far a person could walk in an hour.
"The old map marked the distance in leagues, not miles."
verb
1
To join together with others for a common purpose.
"The smaller shops leagued together to negotiate better prices."
How to Use League
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA group of teams or allies working or competing together, or (in old usage) a measure of distance.
Common mistake
Don't confuse the phrase "in a league of their own" (meaning far better than others) with simply being a member of a league.
Common pairings
premier league
out of my league
league table
join a league
Word Forms
leagued past tense, leagues plural, Leagues plural, leagues singular
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Their team finished second in the _____ this season.
Etymology
From Old French ligue, ultimately from Latin ligare, "to tie" or "to bind" — the same root as "ligament."