LEAVE

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. øbe 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. øøleaver n. [OE lófan f. Gmc]