Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LEAP'-YEAR, n.

Bissextile, a year containing 366 days; every fourth year, which leaps over a day more than in common year. Thus in common years, if the first day of March is on Monday, the present year, it will, the next year, fall on Tuesday, but in leap-year it will leap to Wednesday; for leap-year contains a day more than n common year, a day being added to the month of February. – Brown.