1. (n.) Any animal that sucks blood; esp., the leech (Hirudo medicinalis), and related species.
2. (n.) One who sheds blood; a cruel, bloodthirsty man; one guilty of bloodshed; a murderer.
3. (n.) A hard and exacting master, landlord, or money lender; an extortioner.
Thesaurus Entries
barnacle, bedbug, blackmailer, extortioner, extortionist, freeloader, hanger-on, harpy, leech, lounge lizard, moocher, mosquito, parasite, predator, profiteer, racketeer, raptor, scrounge, scrounger, shakedown artist, shark, spiv, sponge, sponger, sucker, tick, vampire, vulture, wood tick
