To jump a long way, high, or with great force; a sudden jump or quick movement. It can also mean a big and sudden change or increase.
From Old English *hlēapan* meaning “to jump, run, or spring.” Related to German *laufen* (to run) and Dutch *lopen* (to walk), showing an old idea of quick movement.
When people say “a leap of faith,” they’re using an ancient physical idea—literally jumping—turned into a mental one: jumping without knowing what’s ahead. The word kept its ‘sudden jump’ feeling even as it moved from bodies to ideas.
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