1. v. & n.
--v. (past and past part. left)
1. a tr. go away from; cease to remain in or on (left him quite well an hour ago; leave the track; leave here). b intr. (often foll. by for) depart (we leave tomorrow; has just left for London).
2 tr. cause to or let remain; depart without taking (has left his gloves; left a slimy trail; left a bad impression; six from seven leaves one).
3 tr. (also absol.) cease to reside at or attend or belong to or work for (has left the school; I am leaving for another firm).
4 tr. abandon, forsake, desert.
5 tr. have remaining after one's death (leaves a wife and two children).
6 tr. bequeath.
7 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) allow (a person or thing) to do something without interference or assistance (leave the future to take care of itself).
8 tr. (foll. by to) commit or refer to another person (leave that to me; nothing was left to chance).
9 tr. a abstain from consuming or dealing with. b (in passive; often foll. by over) remain over.
10 tr. a deposit or entrust (a thing) to be attended to, collected, delivered, etc., in one's absence (left a message with his secretary). b depute (a person) to perform a function in one's absence.
11 tr. allow to remain or cause to be in a specified state or position (left the door open; the performance left them unmoved; left nothing that was necessary undone).
12 tr. pass (an object) so that it is in a specified relative direction (leave the church on the left).
--n. the position in which a player leaves the balls in billiards, croquet, etc.
Phrases and idioms:
be left with
1. retain (a feeling etc.).
2 be burdened with (a responsibility etc.). be well left be well provided for by a legacy etc. get left colloq. be deserted or worsted. have left have remaining (has no friends left).
leave alone
1. refrain from disturbing, not interfere with.
2 not have dealings with. leave be colloq. refrain from disturbing, not interfere with.
leave behind
1. go away without.
2 leave as a consequence or a visible sign of passage.
3 pass. leave a person cold (or cool) not impress or excite a person. leave go colloq. relax one's hold. leave hold of cease holding. leave it at that colloq. abstain from comment or further action. leave much (or a lot etc.) to be desired be highly unsatisfactory.
leave off
1. come to or make an end.
2 discontinue (leave off work; leave off talking).
3 cease to wear. leave out omit, not include. leave over Brit. leave to be considered, settled, or used later.
leave a person to himself or herself
1. not attempt to control a person.
2 leave a person solitary. left at the post beaten from the start of a race. left for dead abandoned as being beyond rescue. left luggage Brit. luggage deposited for later retrieval, esp. at a railway station.
Derivatives:
leaver n.
Etymology: OE l{aelig}fan f. Gmc 2. n.1 (often foll. by to + infin.) permission.
2 a (in full leave of absence) permission to be absent from duty. b the period for which this lasts.
Phrases and idioms:
by (or with) your leave often iron. an expression of apology for taking a liberty or making an unwelcome statement. on leave legitimately absent from duty. take one's leave bid farewell. take one's leave of bid farewell to. take leave of one's senses see SENSE. take leave to venture or presume to.
Etymology: OE leaf f. WG: cf. LIEF, LOVE