1. [n]  carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end
2. [n]  a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
3. [v]  draw blood; "In the old days, doctors routinely bled patients as part of the treatment"

LEECH is a 5 letter word that starts with L.

1. \Leech\ (l[=e]ch), n.
   See 2d {Leach}.
   
   

2. \Leech\, v. t.
   See {Leach}, v. t.
   
   

3. \Leech\, n. [Cf. LG. leik, Icel. l[=i]k, Sw. lik boltrope,
   st[*a]ende liken the leeches.] (Naut.)
   The border or edge at the side of a sail. [Written also
   {leach}.]
   
   {Leech line}, a line attached to the leech ropes of sails,
      passing up through blocks on the yards, to haul the
      leeches by. --Totten.
   
   {Leech rope}, that part of the boltrope to which the side of
      a sail is sewed.
   
   

4. \Leech\, n. [OE. leche, l[ae]che, physician, AS. l[=ae]ce;
   akin to Fries. l[=e]tza, OHG. l[=a]hh[=i], Icel. l[ae]knari,
   Sw. l["a]kare, Dan. l[ae]ge, Goth. l[=e]keis, AS. l[=a]cnian
   to heal, Sw. l["a]ka, Dan. l[ae]ge, Icel. l[ae]kna, Goth.
   l[=e]kin[=o]n.]
   1. A physician or surgeon; a professor of the art of healing.
      [Written also {leach}.] [Archaic] --Spenser.
   
            Leech, heal thyself.                  --Wyclif (Luke
                                                  iv. 23).
   
   2. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous genera and species of
      annulose worms, belonging to the order {Hirudinea}, or
      Bdelloidea, esp. those species
   
   

5. \Leech\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Leeched} (l[=e]cht); p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Leeching}.]
   1. To treat as a surgeon; to doctor; as, to leech wounds.
      [Archaic]
   
   2. To bleed by the use of leeches.