Leg in a cricketing sense probably began in the earliest days when cricket was played, thought to be in the 16th century. Although there is also the phrase ‘to take leg bail’ found in 1774, which had no connection with cricket but slang for running away.
Leg referring to furniture is not used before 1670s.
Legs in clothes are not recorded as such before the 1570s.
Nobody had a leg up until 1837.
Last leg, first leg, referred to parts of a journey, became popular during the 1920s. Prior to that it referred to a a run made on a single tack when sailing into the wind and more often said to be a long leg or a short leg.
Shake a leg may mean to rise from one’s bed today, but in 1869 you would be expected to dance.
On one’s last legs is a phrase first seen in the 1590s.
Leg work is first recorded in 1891, and originally applied exclusively to news reporters.
Leg room only came into use in 1846.
Leg warmers are not seen before 1974.
Leg man has one meaning today, but when first recorded in 1923 it described an assistant who was the more mobile of the two.
Bootleg is used to refer to unauthorized recordings in the modern era, but when was first used in the 1630s it referred to the upper part of the boot, and as a reference to illegal alcohol in 1889.
Blacklegs were originally swindlers in the 1770s, and not until 1865 was it used to refer to strike breakers.
Dogleg was chosen to describe the bent shape from 1843, but earlier the term dog legged described a staircase without a well hole and consists of two flights with or without winders.
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