I. ˈlēv verb
( left ˈleft ; left ; leaving ; leaves )
Etymology: Middle English leven, from Old English lǣfan; akin to Old High German ver leiben to leave, Old Norse leifa, Gothic bi laibjan; causative from the root of Old English be līfan to remain, be left over, Old High German bi līban; akin to Latin lippus blear-eyed, dripping, Greek lipos fat, lard, Sanskrit limpati he smears; basic meaning: to smear with fat, make sticky
transitive verb
1.
a. : bequeath , devise
left a fortune to his wife
was left a substantial legacy
b.
(1) : to have remaining after one's death or extinction
left a widow and two children
left many water color sketches that … have won for him a significant place — American Guide Series: Minnesota
prehistoric peoples left behind material witnesses to their cultures — Brewton Berry
(2) : to cause to remain as a trace, vestige, or effect upon removal or cessation
left a large stain on the tablecloth
a wound that would probably leave a scar
these cheerful trees would leave a sorry gap … if they were to disappear — Tom Marvel
(3) : to cause to be or remain in some specified condition
the educational system under English rule left the Irish-speaking people illiterate in their native tongue — David Greene
the incident left him furious
the war left Rome exhausted — W.K.Ferguson
his rhetoric leaves me cold
left me in the dark as to his true intentions
a plan that would leave younger members of the staff out in the cold
left me holding the bag
2.
a.
(1) : to permit to remain undisturbed or in the same position
leave the door open
cut down the infected trees, but left the sound ones
took cash and jewelry, but left the stock certificates
: permit to remain unoccupied
leave room in the car for your little sister
(2) : to refrain from or omit doing, including, or dealing with
leaving aside for the moment matters of political strategy — Y.G.Krishnamurti
much was left undone
left out many points of interest
also : to fail to include or take along
the poor kid always gets left at home
— often used with out
she's always left out when it comes to a date or a party
(3) : to have as a remainder in a mathematical operation
4 from 7 leaves 3
(4) : to have as a remainder after consuming or utilizing
did away with the whole pie, leaving nothing for me
only one ton of coal is left
— often used with over
give what is left over to the dog
too hungry to leave anything over
(5) : to allow to remain in the possession of after taking a part away
how much does that leave you
: yield
the price … which leaves him this profit — Adam Smith
(6) : to fall short of being satisfactory by (an indicated amount) — used chiefly in the phrase leave much to be desired or leave something to be desired
his playing leaves much to be desired
b.
(1) : to let be without interference : permit to remain subject to another's action, control, or consideration : commit , refer
leave it to you to decide — A.A.Hill
unwilling to leave it at that — Time
it is well to leave much to the reader's imagination — C.E.Montague
the rest being left to the judgment of God — Irwin Shaw
(2) : to refrain from interfering with the control, action, or destiny of
leave them to work without hampering interference — Irish Digest
was left to shift for himself
leave him to do it himself — M.C.A.Henniker
(3) substandard : let
leave him go
leave him be
leave him have it
leave loose of the rope
leave him through
3.
a.
(1) : to take leave of or withdraw oneself from whether temporarily or permanently : go away or depart from
left school at an early age
leave the room this minute
the cold did not leave him for weeks
it was clear their zest had left them — T.B.Costain
(2) : to branch off : diverge from
the road now leaves the river valley and enters the hill country
(3) : to arrive at the position of the last exterior contact with
the moon leaves the earth's shadow in a lunar eclipse
b. : to put, place, deposit, or deliver before or in the process of departing or withdrawing
the caller left his card
leave your hat in the hall
the bus left me off at the corner
4.
a. : desert , abandon , forsake
her husband left her and she is considering a divorce
b. : to terminate association with : quit the service of
left the company in May
has a job waiting when he leaves the army
5.
a.
(1) : to give up the practice or use of or a devotion or addiction to
the opium eater who cannot leave his drug — Thomas Wolfe
(2) : to abandon as a field of interest or activity
thinking of leaving business for research
left her austere tales of rural New England to write a romance of the swashbuckling seventeenth century — Carl Van Doren
b. : cease , desist , stop
the ground was green with celandine, that had just left blowing — Mary Webb
intransitive verb
1. obsolete
a. : cease , stop
b. : to break off (as in a narrative) : leave off
2. : to set out : depart
time to leave for the station
left for the office at eight sharp
Synonyms: see go , let , relinquish , will
•
- leave alone
II. “, dial & in Brit armed services -ēf noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English leve, from Old English lēaf; akin to Middle High German loube permission, Old English alȳfan to allow — more at believe
1.
a.
(1) : permission to do something
asked leave to read a short statement
absent by leave of the Senate on official business — Congressional Record
came without leave to shoot on the estate — H.E.Scudder
applied for leave to inspect it — G.B.Shaw
(2) : liberty , license — used chiefly in the phrase take leave
the subscribers take leave respectfully to inform the public — American Guide Series: Louisiana
b.
(1) : an authorized absence or vacation from duty or employment usually with pay
canceled all leaves
collected his leave pay
most Federal employees earn annual leave , for vacation and other purposes — Federal Jobs Outside Continental U.S.
also : the extent, duration, or period of such allowed absence
still have 2 days' leave coming to me
— often used in the phrase on leave
a professor on sabbatical leave
on leave from his law firm for government service
had left orders that he was not to be bothered while on leave
(2) : authorized absence or vacation from military duty usually charged to the accumulated leave to which a person is entitled under provisions of law — compare furlough , liberty
(3) : authorized absence from an institution (as a school or hospital)
at home on leave from a state hospital — Springfield (Massachusetts) Daily News
leave privileges are not extended to freshmen
(4) : leave of absence
at once agreed to give the necessary leave — F.W.Crofts
don't know if I can get leave for that long a time
2.
a. : an act of leaving the presence or company of a person or of departing from a place typically with some expression of regard or farewell — usually used in the phrase take leave
took very courteous leave of the ladies
took his leave about nine
reluctantly took our leave of that pleasant town
b. : an act or experience of separation or alienation — usually used in the phrase take leave
have you taken leave of your senses
let us take leave of that subject and turn to another
3.
[ leave (I) ]
a. : the position of billiard balls after a shot is completed
b. : the pins left standing after a bowler has rolled the first ball
III. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English leven, from leef leaf
: to send out leaves : leaf — often used with out
the black locust leaves out later than the other shade trees — Brooks Atkinson
IV.
chiefly dialect
variant of lief