I. leave 1 S1 W1 /liːv/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle left /left/)
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: læfan ]
1 . GO AWAY [intransitive and transitive] to go away from a place or a person:
My baby gets upset when I leave the room.
Before leaving the train, make sure you have all your belongings with you.
Leave the motorway at Junction 7.
leave at
The plane leaves at 12.30.
leave for
I tried calling him, but he’d already left for work.
leave (something/somebody) soon/now/later etc
If he left immediately, he’d catch the 7.30 train.
leave (something/somebody) to do something
Frances left work early to meet her mother.
leave somebody doing something
Never leave children playing near water unattended.
leave somebody to something
I’ll leave you to it (=go away and let you continue with what you are doing) .
My youngest boy has not left my side (=has stayed near me) since his daddy was killed.
leave somebody in peace (=go away from someone so that they can think, work etc alone)
Just a few more questions, then we’ll leave you in peace.
2 . STOP [intransitive and transitive] if you leave your job, home, school etc, you permanently stop doing that job, living at home etc:
Over the past two years, 20 staffers have left.
leave home/school/college etc
How old were you when you left home (=your parents’ home) ?
My daughter got a job after she left school.
The lawsuit will be postponed until the president leaves office.
leave a job/country/Spain etc
Many missionaries were forced to leave the country.
It seems that Tony has left the band for good (=permanently) .
leave (somebody/something) to do something
Laura left her native England to live in France.
3 . leave somebody/something alone
a) to stop annoying or upsetting someone:
Oh, just leave me alone, will you?
Leave the boy alone, he can make up his own mind.
b) to go away from someone so that they are on their own:
Six-year-old Gemma had been left alone in the house.
c) to stop touching something:
Leave that alone. You’ll break it.
d) ( also leave well (enough) alone ) to stop being involved in or trying to change a situation:
Why can’t they just leave well alone and let us concentrate on teaching?
4 . LET SOMETHING/SOMEBODY STAY [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to make or allow something or someone to stay in a place when you go away
leave something/somebody in/with/behind etc
Are you leaving the kids with Grandma on Saturday?
As soon as I’d shut the door, I realized I’d left the keys inside.
Did anybody leave a jacket behind last night?
She left her son in the care of a friend.
leave somebody to do something
He left Ruth to find her own way home.
Students were left to their own devices (=left alone and allowed to do whatever they wanted) for long periods.
leave somebody for dead
The girl had been attacked and left for dead.
5 . NOT CHANGE/MOVE SOMETHING [transitive] to let something remain in a particular state, position, or condition
leave something on/off/out etc
You’ve left your lights on.
She must have left the phone off the hook.
leave something open/empty/untidy etc
I wish you’d stop leaving the door open.
The trial left many questions unanswered.
leave a space/gap etc
Leave the next two lines blank for the tutor’s comments.
Drivers should always leave room for cyclists.
leave something doing something
I’ll just leave the engine running while I go in.
Don’t leave tools lying about.
leave something to do something
Leave the pots to soak overnight.
6 . RESULT OF ACCIDENT/ILLNESS/EVENT [transitive] if an event, accident, illness etc leaves you in a particular condition, you are in that condition because of it:
An explosion at a chemical plant has left one worker dead and four injured.
leave somebody with something
Although the infection cleared up, he was left with a persistent cough.
leave somebody doing something
The incident left her feeling confused and hurt.
The announcement has left shareholders nursing huge losses.
7 . be left ( also have something left ) if something is left, it remains after everything else has gone, been taken away, or used:
I’ve only got a few dollars left.
There were a couple of seats left at the back.
We don’t have much time left.
He pointed to what was left of the house (=used when very little is left) .
All that was left was a pile of bones.
be left over
After we’ve paid the bills, there’s never much left over.
They ate some bread rolls left over from the night before.
8 . LETTER/MESSAGE/THING [transitive] to deliver a message, note, package etc for someone or put it somewhere so that they will get it later:
She left a message on his answerphone.
leave somebody something
Can you leave me some money for the bus?
leave something with somebody
Ian left this note with me.
leave something for somebody
A guy left these flowers for you.
9 . DELAY [transitive] to not do something or to do it later than you intended:
Leave the dishes. I’ll do them later.
So much had been left undone.
leave something until the last minute/until last
If you leave your preparation until the last minute, you’ll reduce your chances of passing.
I left the best bit until last.
I want to think about it. Can I leave it for now?
I’m afraid you’ve left it too late to change your ticket.
leave it at that (=used to say that you will not do any more of something, because you have done enough)
Let’s leave it at that for today.
10 . LET SOMEBODY DECIDE/BE RESPONSIBLE [transitive] to let someone else decide something or be responsible for something
leave something to somebody
Leave it to me. I’ll make sure it gets posted.
The choice of specialist subject is left entirely to the students.
leave it (up) to somebody to do something
I’ll leave it up to you to decide.
She leaves it to the reader to draw their own conclusions.
leave doing something to somebody
Is it okay if I leave writing the results to you?
leave something with somebody
Leave it with me, I’ll fix it for you.
He’s not the sort to leave things to chance (=take no action and just wait to see what happens) .
leave somebody with no choice/option (=force someone to take a particular action)
You leave me with no choice but to fire you.
leave somebody to do something British English :
Clive moved to London, leaving Edward to run the Manchester office.
11 . HUSBAND/WIFE ETC [intransitive and transitive] to stop living with or having a relationship with your husband, partner etc:
Martha was always threatening to leave, but I never believed her.
leave somebody for somebody
Mr Rushworth left his partner of 10 years for a younger woman.
12 . WHEN YOU DIE [transitive]
a) to arrange for someone to receive your money, property etc after you die SYN bequeath :
Aunt Alice died, leaving almost $5 million.
leave somebody something
Hugo left me his mother’s ring.
In his will, he had left all his children a small sum of money.
leave something to somebody/something
Have you thought of leaving a gift to charity after you die?
b) leave a wife/children etc used when someone dies before their wife, children etc:
PC Davis leaves a wife and three small children.
13 . MARK [transitive] to make a mark that remains afterwards
leave a mark/stain/scar etc
The wine had left a permanent mark on the tablecloth.
He staggered to the door, leaving a trail of blood.
Make sure that you don’t leave any footprints.
14 . NOT EAT/DRINK [transitive] if you leave food or drink that you have been given, you do not eat or drink it:
‘I’m really hungry now.’ ‘That’s because you left half your lunch.’
He rose from the table, leaving his brandy untouched.
15 . leave somebody/something standing ( also leave somebody/something in the dust American English ) informal to be much better, quicker, more successful etc than someone or something else:
In terms of fitness, he discovered that Kate left him standing.
16 . leave a lot/something/much to be desired to be very unsatisfactory:
Inspectors say health and safety procedures at the factory leave a lot to be desired.
17 . MATHEMATICS [transitive] in a sum, to have a particular amount remaining:
Three from seven leaves four.
18 . leave something aside/to one side to not think about or consider one part of something for a time, so that you can consider another part of it:
Leaving aside for a moment the question of expense, what would your view be of the suggested changes?
19 . leave somebody/something be old-fashioned to not upset, speak to, or annoy someone or to not touch something
20 . leave go/hold of something British English spoken informal to stop holding something
21 . leave it to somebody (to do something) American English spoken informal used to say that no one should be surprised that someone does something, because it is typical or expected of them:
Leave it to you to have the whole day planned out!
22 . Elvis/somebody/something has left the building especially American English informal used humorously to emphasize that something is definitely over or that someone has gone and will not return
⇨ somebody can take it or leave it at ↑ take 1 (21), ⇨ be left holding the baby/bag at ↑ hold 1 (26)
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to leave a place
▪ leave :
Just as I was leaving the house, the phone rang.
|
We left early to avoid the traffic.
▪ go especially spoken to leave somewhere:
Come on, boys, it’s time to go.
|
When does the next bus go?
▪ set off especially British English to leave somewhere and begin a journey:
The following day we set off for Vienna.
▪ take off if a plane takes off, it leaves the ground at the beginning of a flight:
Our plane took off late because of the fog.
▪ emigrate to leave your own country in order to live permanently in another country:
In 2002, his family emigrated to New Zealand.
▪ depart formal to leave – used especially about trains, buses, planes etc:
Coaches depart for the airport every 30 minutes.
■ to leave school/college etc
▪ leave especially British English to finish studying at school or college, usually at the age or time when people normally finish:
When James left school, he worked for a while with his father.
|
She found it hard to get a job after leaving university.
▪ graduate to successfully finish your studies at a college or university, or at an American high school:
Kelly graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies.
|
Approximately 80% of Americans graduate from high school.
▪ drop out to leave school, college, or university before your course of study has finished, because you do not want to continue with it:
I failed my first year exams and decided to drop out and get a job.
▪ quit American English to leave school without finishing your course of study:
He quit school at fourteen to work and help support his family.
■ leave your job
▪ leave :
I left my last job because the salary was so low.
|
Why don’t you just leave?
▪ quit to leave your job permanently because you are not happy with it:
After enduring months of harassment, Mrs Collins decided to quit her job.
|
I’ve told them I’m quitting.
▪ resign to officially announce that you have decided to leave your job:
The company director was forced to resign over the scandal.
▪ hand in your notice/resignation to write an official letter to your employer saying that you are going to leave your job on a particular date:
You have to hand in your notice at least four weeks before you leave.
▪ retire to leave your job in order to stop working permanently, usually because you have reached the age when most people stop working:
After forty years of working for the bank, Karl retired in May.
|
He had to retire because of ill health.
leave somebody/something ↔ behind phrasal verb
1 . to not take someone or something with you when you leave a place:
I think I might have left my wallet behind.
He departed for Washington, leaving the children behind with their mother.
2 . if a person, country, or organization is left behind, they do not develop as quickly or make as much progress as other people, countries etc:
In class, a child with poor eyesight can soon get left behind.
a fear of being left behind by better-organized rivals
3 . ( also leave somebody/something behind you ) to permanently stop being involved with a person, place or situation:
It’s time to leave the past behind.
Although Armstrong overcame the circumstances of his birth, he never really left New Orleans behind.
4 . ( also leave somebody/something behind you ) to move away from someone or something:
They had left the city behind and were heading into open country.
Sarah, with her long legs, soon left the rest of us far behind.
5 . ( also leave something behind you ) to produce a thing or situation that remains after you have gone:
He drove off, leaving behind him a trail of blue smoke.
the mess the previous government left behind
leave off phrasal verb
1 . to stop doing something
take up/pick up/continue (something) etc where somebody left off (=continue something that has stopped for a short time)
Barry took up the story where Justine had left off.
leave off doing something British English informal :
‘Will you leave off nagging?’ he snarled.
2 . leave somebody/something off (something) to not include something such as someone’s name in a list or other document:
Why was her name left off the list?
leave somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb
1 . to not include someone or something:
She outlined the case to him, being careful not to leave anything out.
leave somebody/something out of something
Kidd has been left out of the team.
2 . be/feel left out to feel that you are not accepted or welcome in a situation:
New fathers often feel left out when baby arrives.
3 . leave it out! British English spoken used to tell someone to stop lying, pretending, or being annoying
II. leave 2 S3 W2 BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: læf ]
1 . HOLIDAY [uncountable] time that you are allowed to spend away from your work, especially in the armed forces:
I’ve applied for three days’ leave.
on leave
navy officers home on leave
Your basic annual leave is 20 days.
2 . maternity/sick/compassionate leave time that you are allowed to spend away from work because you have had a baby, because you are ill, or because of a personal problem such as the death of a relative
3 . leave of absence a period of time that you are allowed to spend away from work for a particular purpose:
She’s been given leave of absence to attend a computer course.
4 . PERMISSION [uncountable] formal permission to do something:
All this was done entirely without my leave.
leave to do something
a petition for leave to appeal to the European court
grant/obtain/ask/seek etc leave (to do something)
He asked leave to speak to her in private.
5 . without so much as a by your leave old-fashioned without asking permission, in a way that seems very rude:
He marched into my office without so much as a by your leave.
6 . take leave of your senses to suddenly start behaving in a strange way:
You want to marry him? Have you taken leave of your senses?
7 . take leave of somebody/take your leave formal to say goodbye to someone
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + leave
▪ annual leave (=an amount of time that you are allowed away from work for holidays etc)
Annual leave is 22 days plus public holidays.
▪ maternity leave (=time that a mother is allowed away from work to have and take care of a new baby)
Two teachers were off on maternity leave.
▪ paternity leave (=time that a father is allowed away from work to take care of a new baby)
He got five days’ paternity leave.
▪ parental leave (=time that a parent is allowed away from work to take care of a child)
Parental leave is often unpaid.
▪ sick leave ( also medical leave American English ) (=time that you are allowed away from work because you are ill)
The form must be filled in as soon as you return from sick leave.
▪ compassionate leave (=time that you are allowed away from work because someone in your family is very ill or has died)
Eileen was given compassionate leave to go to the funeral.
▪ paid/unpaid leave
She took three days unpaid leave in order to help her daughter.
▪ home leave (=time that you are allowed to spend at home from a job that is far away, for example in the army, or from prison)
Roberts had failed to return from home leave, and there was a warrant out for his arrest.
▪ shore leave (=time that a sailor is allowed to spend on land and away from work)
Hong Kong was a popular place for shore leave.
▪ special leave (=time that you are allowed away from work for a special reason)
Some firms grant special leave when you move house.
▪ study leave British English (=time that you are allowed away from work because you are taking a course)
The company offers study leave for staff development.
▪ sabbatical leave (=time that a teacher is allowed away from work to study or travel)
Headteachers can take sabbatical leave every five years.
▪ indefinite leave (=leave without a time limit)
She has gone on indefinite leave, suffering from exhaustion.
■ nouns
▪ leave entitlement (=the amount of time that you are allowed to spend away from work on holidays etc)
The normal paid leave entitlement is 20 days.
■ verbs
▪ have/get leave
How much annual leave do you get?
▪ be entitled to leave (=be allowed to have as leave)
After five years, employees are entitled to 25 days’ leave.
▪ go on leave (=start your time away from work)
I’ll get the report to you before you go on leave.
▪ take leave (=use the time you are allowed)
I don’t think I’ll be able to take any leave in January because we’re too busy.
▪ use (up) leave
I used all my leave in the summertime.
▪ give/grant somebody leave
He was given compassionate leave.
▪ cancel sb’s leave (=stop people taking leave)
The Police Department cancelled all leave because of the emergency.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ vacation especially American English , holiday especially British English time you spend away from school or work:
Are you taking a vacation this summer?
|
We met on holiday in Cyprus.
|
What are you doing in the school holidays?
▪ holiday a day that is set by law, when no one has to go to work or school:
the Thanksgiving holiday
|
New Year's Day is a national holiday.
|
In 2002, there was an extra public holiday to mark the Queen's golden jubilee.
|
the August bank holiday (=day when all the banks and shops are closed – used in British English)
▪ break a time when you stop working or studying in order to rest, or a short vacation from school:
a ten-minute coffee break
|
Lots of college kids come to the beaches during the spring break.
▪ leave a time when you are allowed not to work:
We get four weeks' annual leave (=paid time off work each year) .
|
He has been taking a lot of sick leave (=time off work because you are ill) recently.
|
Angela is on maternity leave (= time off work when having a baby) .
|
He was given compassionate leave (=time off work because someone close to you has died, is very ill etc) to go to his father's funeral.
▪ sabbatical [usually singular] a period when someone, especially a teacher, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel:
She was on sabbatical for six months.
|
I'm thinking of taking a sabbatical.
▪ furlough a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country as a holiday:
While on furlough, he and his girlfriend got married.
▪ R & R (rest and relaxation) a holiday, especially one given to people in the army, navy etc after a long period of hard work or during a war:
Soldiers in Vietnam were taken to Hawaii for R & R.