dogleg

noun, verb — 4 senses

dogleg

noun

UK /ˈdɒɡlɛɡ/ · US /ˈdɔɡˌlɛɡ/

Etymology The noun is derived from dog + leg, referring to the shape of the hind leg of a dog. The verb is derived from the noun.

› Something (such as a canyon or road) with a…

1

Architecture Also A configuration of stairs where a flight ascends to a half-landing before turning 180 degrees and continuing upwards.

2

Golf, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Also A sharp bend in the fairway before reaching a hole.

3

US, Also A single intersection consisting of two opposing T-junctions in close proximity; an intersection with a staggered cross street.

  • The Q Street crossing of Wisconsin Avenue is an extreme example of such a location, the dog-leg itself being so long, about 150 feet, that in reality two T intersections exist.1962 May 23, Arthur A., Jr. Carter, Increasing the Traffic-Carrying Capability of Urban Arterial Streets: The Wisconsin Avenue Study, Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Public Roads, page 39:
  • At 4th Avenue and Korean Veterans Boulevard, the completion of Gateway Boulevard would correct the existing dog-leg intersection with Franklin Street.2009 July 23, Gateway Boulevard Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Washington, D.C.: Federal Highway Administration, page 3-6:
1 more example
  • McCormack had been stalking its corridors for months, turning down its dog-legs and dead ends, doubling back on himself.2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 15:
Synonyms
staggered crossroads, staggered junction
Related terms
hairpin, offset T-intersection, switchback

dogleg

verb

Etymology The noun is derived from dog + leg, referring to the shape of the hind leg of a dog. The verb is derived from the noun.

1

To bend in the shape of the hind leg of a dog, especially to turn and then turn back sharply to the original direction.

  • When the causeway doglegs and all of a sudden you spot sixteen roller coasters in the same place, it can take your breath away.2004 August 30, The New Yorker, New York, N.Y.: New Yorker Magazine Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 48, column 2:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.