/ left; NAmE / adjective , adverb , noun
—see also leave verb
■ adjective
[ only before noun ] on the side of your body which is towards the west when you are facing north :
Fewer people write with their left hand than with their right.
I broke my left leg.
the left side of the field
The university is on the left bank of the river.
Take a left turn at the intersection.
( sport )
a left back / wing
a left hook
OPP right
► left adverb :
Turn left at the intersection.
Look left and right before you cross the road.
•
IDIOMS
- have two left feet
- left, right and centre
—more at right adverb
■ noun
1.
the / sb's left [ sing. ] the left side or direction :
She was sitting on my left .
Twist your body to the left, then to the right.
Take the next road on the left .
To the left of the library is the bank.
2.
[ sing. ] the first, second, etc. left the first, second, etc. road on the left side :
Take the first left.
3.
a left [ sing. ] a turn to the left :
( BrE )
to take a left
( NAmE )
to hang / make a left
4.
the left , the Left [ sing.+ sing./pl. v . ] political groups who support the ideas and beliefs of socialism :
The Left only has / have a small chance of winning power.
a left-leaning newspaper
5.
the left [ sing.+ sing./pl. v . ] the part of a political party whose members are most in favour of social change :
She is on the far left of the party.
6.
[ C ] ( in boxing ) a blow that is made with your left hand :
He hit him with two sharp lefts.
OPP right
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English lyft , left weak (the left-hand side being regarded as the weaker side of the body), of West Germanic origin.