Leech

n. bloodsucking worm; person who clings to another without giving anything in return, parasite; doctor, physician (Archaic)

v. cling to, stick to like a leech; draw blood using leeches

For other uses, see Leech (disambiguation). Leeches are annelids comprising the subclass Hirudinea. There are fresh water, terrestrial and marine leeches. Like their near relatives, the Oligochaeta, they share the presence of a clitellum. Like earthworms, leeches are hermaphrodites. The medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, which is native to Europe, and its congeners have been used for clinical bloodletting for thousands of years.
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Noun
1. carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end
(synonym) bloodsucker, hirudinean
(hypernym) annelid, annelid worm, segmented worm
(hyponym) medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis
(member-holonym) Hirudinea, class Hirudinea
(derivation) bleed, phlebotomize, phlebotomise
2. a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
(synonym) parasite, sponge, sponger
(hypernym) follower
Verb
1. draw blood; "In the old days, doctors routinely bled patients as part of the treatment"
(synonym) bleed, phlebotomize, phlebotomise
(hypernym) treat, care for
(derivation) bloodsucker, hirudinean
(classification) medicine, practice of medicine

(v. t.)
To treat as a surgeon; to doctor; as, to leech wounds.
  

(v. t.)
To bleed by the use of leeches.
  

(v. t.)
See Leach, v. t.
  

(n.)
The border or edge at the side of a sail.
  

(n.)
See 2d Leach.
  

(n.)
Any one of numerous genera and species of annulose worms, belonging to the order Hirudinea, or Bdelloidea, esp. those species used in medicine, as Hirudo medicinalis of Europe, and allied species.
  

(n.)
A physician or surgeon; a professor of the art of healing.
  

(n.)
A glass tube of peculiar construction, adapted for drawing blood from a scarified part by means of a vacuum.
  

See: HORSE-LEECH