"not have a leg to stand on" meaning in English

{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb"
      },
      "expansion": "not have a leg to stand on",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English negative polarity items",
          "parents": [
            "Negative polarity items",
            "Terms by semantic function"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1857, Charles Dickens, chapter 8, in Little Dorrit, volume 2",
          "text": "‘You see?’ said Mrs Gowan, turning the palms of her hands towards Mr Meagles, as if she were Justice herself, representing to him that he had better confess, for he had not a leg to stand on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1910, Edith Wharton, “Afterward”, in Tales of Men and Ghosts",
          "text": "\"But Mr. Elwell's lawyers apparently did not take your view, since I suppose the suit was withdrawn by their advice.\" \"Oh, yes, they knew he hadn't a leg to stand on.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1931, E. F. Benson, chapter 4, in Mapp and Lucia",
          "text": "It was borne in upon Elizabeth that she hadn't got a leg to stand upon and she sat down.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2003 October 3, Charlie LeDuff, Dean E. Murphy, “The California Recall: Sexual Accusations Prompt an Apology By Schwarzenegger”, in New York Times",
          "text": "If his word and image are consistently proven to be false, he doesn't have a leg to stand on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation."
      ],
      "id": "en-not_have_a_leg_to_stand_on-en-verb-KYKRYGHs",
      "links": [
        [
          "lack",
          "lack"
        ],
        [
          "support",
          "support"
        ],
        [
          "argument",
          "argument"
        ],
        [
          "debate",
          "debate"
        ],
        [
          "negotiation",
          "negotiation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "on one's last legs"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-not have a leg to stand on.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/af/En-au-not_have_a_leg_to_stand_on.ogg/En-au-not_have_a_leg_to_stand_on.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/En-au-not_have_a_leg_to_stand_on.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "not have a leg to stand on"
}

{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb"
      },
      "expansion": "not have a leg to stand on",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "on one's last legs"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English negative polarity items",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1857, Charles Dickens, chapter 8, in Little Dorrit, volume 2",
          "text": "‘You see?’ said Mrs Gowan, turning the palms of her hands towards Mr Meagles, as if she were Justice herself, representing to him that he had better confess, for he had not a leg to stand on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1910, Edith Wharton, “Afterward”, in Tales of Men and Ghosts",
          "text": "\"But Mr. Elwell's lawyers apparently did not take your view, since I suppose the suit was withdrawn by their advice.\" \"Oh, yes, they knew he hadn't a leg to stand on.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1931, E. F. Benson, chapter 4, in Mapp and Lucia",
          "text": "It was borne in upon Elizabeth that she hadn't got a leg to stand upon and she sat down.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2003 October 3, Charlie LeDuff, Dean E. Murphy, “The California Recall: Sexual Accusations Prompt an Apology By Schwarzenegger”, in New York Times",
          "text": "If his word and image are consistently proven to be false, he doesn't have a leg to stand on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "lack",
          "lack"
        ],
        [
          "support",
          "support"
        ],
        [
          "argument",
          "argument"
        ],
        [
          "debate",
          "debate"
        ],
        [
          "negotiation",
          "negotiation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-not have a leg to stand on.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/af/En-au-not_have_a_leg_to_stand_on.ogg/En-au-not_have_a_leg_to_stand_on.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/En-au-not_have_a_leg_to_stand_on.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "not have a leg to stand on"
}