Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense leaves, present participle leaving, past tense, past participle left
1. verb
If you leave a place or person, you go away from that place or person.
He would not be allowed to leave the country. [VERB noun]
I simply couldn't bear to leave my little girl. [VERB noun]
My flight leaves in less than an hour. [VERB + in]
The last of the older children had left for school. [VERB + for]
2. verb
If you leave an institution, group, or job, you permanently stop attending that institution, being a member of that group, or doing that job.
He left school with no qualifications. [VERB noun]
I am leaving to concentrate on writing fiction. [VERB]
...a leaving present. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: quit, give up, get out of, resign from More Synonyms of leave
3. verb
If you leave your husband, wife, or some other person with whom you have had a close relationship, you stop living with them or you finish the relationship.
He'll never leave you. You need have no worry. [VERB noun]
I would be insanely jealous if Bill left me for another woman. [VERB noun + for]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: give up, abandon, desert, dump [informal] More Synonyms of leave
4. verb
If you leave something or someone in a particular place, you let them remain there when you goaway. If you leave something or someone with a person, you let them remain with that person so theyare safe while you are away.
I left my bags in the car. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Don't leave your truck there. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
From the moment that Philippe had left her in the bedroom at the hotel, she had heardnothing of him. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Leave your key with a neighbour in case you lock yourself out one day. [VERB noun + with]
Synonyms: forget, lay down, leave behind, mislay More Synonyms of leave
5. verb
If you leave a message or an answer, you write it, record it, or give it to someone so that it can be found or passedon.
You can leave a message on our answering machine. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Decide whether the ball is in square A, B, C, or D, then call and leave your answer. [VERB noun]
I left my phone number with several people. [VERB noun + with]
6. verb
If you leave someone doing something, they are doing that thing when you go away from them.
If you leave someone to do something, you go away from them so that they do it on their own. If you leave someone to himself or herself, you go away from them and allow them to be alone.
I'd better leave you to get on with it, then. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
Diana took the hint and left them to it. [V n to it]
One of the advantages of a department store is that you are left to yourself to trythings on. [beVERB-ed + to]
He quietly slipped away and left me to my tears. [VERB noun to noun]
[Also V n to pron-refl]
8. verb
To leave an amount of something means to keep it available after the rest has been used or taken away.
He always left a little food for the next day. [VERB noun + for]
Double rooms at any of the following hotels should leave you some change from £150. [VERB noun noun]
9. verb
If you take one number away from another, you can say that it leaves the number that remains. For example, five take away two leaves three.
10. verb
To leave someone with something, especially when that thing is unpleasant or difficult to deal with, means to make them have it or make them responsible for it.
...a crash which left him with a broken collar-bone. [VERB noun + with]
He left me with a child to support. [VERB noun with noun]
11. verb
If an event leaves people or things in a particular state, they are in that state when the event hasfinished.
...violent disturbances which have left at least ten people dead. [VERB noun adjective]
The documentary left me in a state of shock. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
So where does that leave me? [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
12. verb
If you leave food or drink, you do not eat or drink it, often because you do not like it.
If you don't like the cocktail you ordered, just leave it and try a different one. [VERB noun]
13. verb
If something leaves a mark, effect, or sign, it causes that mark, effect, or sign to remain as a result.
A muscle tear will leave a scar after healing. [VERB noun]
She left a lasting impression on him. [VERB noun]
14. verb
If you leave something in a particular state, position, or condition, you let it remain in thatstate, position, or condition.
He left the album open on the table. [VERB noun adjective]
I've left the car lights on. [VERB noun adverb/preposition]
I left the engine running. [VERB noun verb-ing]
15. verb
If you leave a space or gap in something, you deliberately make that space or gap.
Leave a gap at the top and bottom so air can circulate. [VERB noun]
16. verb
If you leave a job, decision, or choice to someone, you give them the responsibility for dealing with it or making it.
Affix the blue airmail label and leave the rest to us. [VERB noun + to]
The judge should not have left it to the jury to decide. [VERB noun + to]
For the moment, I leave you to take all decisions. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
Synonyms: entrust, commit, delegate, refer More Synonyms of leave
17. verb
If you say that something such as an arrangement or an agreement leaves a lot to another thing or person, you are critical of it because it is not adequate and its success depends on the other thing or person.
[disapproval]
The ceasefire leaves a lot to the goodwill of the forces involved. [V amount + to]
It's a vague formulation that leaves much to the discretion of local authorities. [V amount to n]
18. verb
To leave someone with a particular course of action or the opportunity to do something means to let it be available to them, while restricting them in other ways.
This left me only one possible course of action. [VERB noun noun]
He was left with no option but to resign. [beVERB-ed + with]
19. verb
If you leave something until a particular time, you delay doing it or dealing with it until then.
Don't leave it all until the last minute. [V n + until/to]
See leave sth too late
20. verb
If you leave a particular subject, you stop talking about it and start discussing something else.
I think we'd better leave the subject of Nationalism. [VERB noun]
He suggested we get together for a drink sometime. I said I'd like that, and we leftit there. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
21. verb
If you leave property or money to someone, you arrange for it to be given to them after you have died.
He died two and a half years later, leaving everything to his wife. [VERB noun + to]
Synonyms: bequeath, will, transfer, endow More Synonyms of leave
22. verb [no cont]
If you say that someone leaves a wife, husband, or a particular number of children, you mean that the wife, husband,or children remain alive after that person has died.
[formal]
Mr Sharp, who leaves a wife and two children, had been suffering from cancer. [VERB noun]
23. uncountable noun [oft onNOUN]
Leave is a period of time when you are not working at your job, because you are on holiday or vacation, or for some other reason. If you are on leave, you are not working at your job.
Why don't you take a few days' leave?
...maternity leave.
He is home on leave from the Navy.
Synonyms: holiday, break, vacation, time off More Synonyms of leave
24. uncountable noun [NOUN to-infinitive]
If you ask for leaveto do something, you ask for permission to do it.
[formal]
...an application for leave to appeal against the judge's order.
Synonyms: permission, freedom, sanction, liberty More Synonyms of leave
25. See also left1
26.
See to leave someone or something alone
27.
See leaving aside/leaving to one side
28.
See take one's leave/take leave of sb
29.
See to leave well alone
30.
See where you left off
31. to leave a lot to be desired
32. to leave someone to their own devices
33. to take leave of your senses
34. take it or leave it
Phrasal verbs:
See leave behind
See leave off
See leave out
More Synonyms of leave
leave in British English1
(liːv)
verbWord forms: leaves, leaving or left(mainly tr)
1. (also intr)
to go or depart (from a person or place)
2.
to cause to remain behind, often by mistake, in a place
he often leaves his keys in his coat
3.
to cause to be or remain in a specified state
paying the bill left him penniless
4.
to renounce or abandon
to leave a political movement
5.
to refrain from consuming or doing something
the things we have left undone
6.
to result in; cause
childhood problems often leave emotional scars
7.
to allow to be or remain subject to another person or thing
leave the past to look after itself
8.
to entrust or commit
leave the shopping to me
9.
to submit in place of one's personal appearance
will you leave your name and address?
10.
to pass in a specified direction
flying out of the country, we left the cliffs on our left
11.
to be survived by (members of one's family)
he leaves a wife and two children
12.
to bequeath or devise
she left his investments to her children
13. (transitive)
to have as a remainder
37 – 14 leaves 23
14. not standard
to permit; let
15. leave be
16. leave go
17. leave it at that
18. leave much to be desired
19. leave someone alone
20. leave someone to himself or herself
Derived forms
leaver (ˈleaver)
noun
Word origin
Old English lǣfan; related to belīfan to be left as a remainder
leave in British English2
(liːv)
noun
1.
permission to do something
he was granted leave to speak
2. by your leave
3.
permission to be absent, as from a place of work or duty
leave of absence
4.
the duration of such absence
ten days' leave
5.
a farewell or departure (esp in the phrase take (one's) leave)
6. on leave
7. take leave
8. take leave of one's senses
Word origin
Old English lēaf; related to alӯfan to permit, Middle High German loube permission
leave in British English3
(liːv)
verbWord forms: leaves, leaving or leaved
(intransitive)
to produce or grow leaves
leave in American English1
(liv)
verb transitiveWord forms: left or ˈleaving
1.
to cause or allow to remain; not take away
to leave some of the food for latecomers
2.
to make, place, deposit, etc., and cause to remain behind one
to leave one's calling card
3.
to have remaining after one
the deceased leaves a widow
4.
to bequeath
to leave a fortune to charity
5.
to let be in the care of; entrust
with to or up to
to leave a decision to another
6.
to give as a remainder by subtraction
ten minus two leaves eight
7.
to reject
take it or leave it
8.
to go away from
to leave the house
9.
to let stay or cause to be in a certain condition
the flood left them homeless
10.
to give up; abandon; forsake
11.
to stop living in, working for, or belonging to
12. Chiefly Dialectal
to let or allow
leave us go now
verb intransitive
13.
to go away, depart, or set out
Idioms:
leave alone
leave off
leave out
leave well enough alone
Derived forms
leaver (ˈleaver)
noun
Word origin
ME leven < OE læfan, lit., to let remain (< *lafjan < base of laf, remnant, what remains), akin to (be)lifan, to remain, Ger bleiben, OHG belīban < IE *leip-, to smear with grease, stick to < base *lei-, viscous, sticky > L limus: see lime1
leave in American English2
(liv)
noun
1.
permission
2.
a.
permission to be absent from duty or work, esp. such permission given to personnel in the armed services
b.
the period for which such permission is granted
Idioms:
beg leave
by your leave
on leave
take leave of
take one's leave
Word origin
ME leve < OE leaf, permission, akin to obs. Ger laube, permission, erlauben, to allow, permit < IE base *leubh-, to like, desire > lief, love, L libido
leave in American English3
(liv)
verb intransitiveWord forms: leaved or ˈleaving
to put forth, or bear, leaves; leaf
Word origin
ME leven < lefe, leaf
More idioms containing
leave
leave someone high and dry
leave someone out in the cold
leave someone cold
leave someone holding the bag
leave someone holding the baby
leave yourself wide open
leave someone to sink or swim
leave no stone unturned
leave someone in the lurch
leave your mark
Examples of 'leave' in a sentence
leave
Using up willpower in one area leaves less of it available for any other.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The court provided leave to appeal and it is understood that the case was subsequently settled.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But she has since left four jobs in just five years and is currently unemployed.
The Sun (2016)
Add the banana and leave to bubble away.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The old house is left empty for much of the time.
The Sun (2017)
Survivors have few places left for shelter.
The Sun (2016)
The notice must be of at least the same length as the period of leave to be given.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Her absence leaves a job vacancy, albeit temporarily.
The Sun (2017)
The shadowy foliage and its reflection of lingering sunlight from the shiny leaves capture something sweetly melancholy at this dark time of year.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Senegal is thought to have only one elephant left.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You have to take holiday or unpaid leave.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Flexible working policies cover leave of absence.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This citrus fruit will lift away dirt and leave you with sparkling nail beds and whiter tips.
The Sun (2014)
Some churches go further and place the individual on a paid or unpaid leave of absence.
Christianity Today (2000)
Two in three use it for jobs left over from weekdays.
The Sun (2013)
There will be not much meat left on the bone.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Place the spinach leaves on a board.
Conil, Jean & Conil, Christopher (ed) A Passion for Food (1989)
Wash and drain the remaining stalks and leaves.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The leaves go from bright yellow to orange and then an intense red before dropping.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This application for leave to appeal against sentence must be refused.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The poor bloke has taken leave of his senses.
The Sun (2007)
On holiday he enjoyed leaving his guitar to one side.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She is pushed away and leaves the train.
The Sun (2012)
She has since taken leave of absence and is too scared to speak about her ordeal.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The school removed her from two of the periods but left her covering one.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Students now have four months after they have completed their course to find a job or leave.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The key is they will leave it in much better shape.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Open the left hand and place the key into it.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Only 30 per cent say he should leave the option open.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
leave
British English: leave /liːv/ NOUN
Leave is a period of time when you are not working at your job, because you are on holiday.
Why don't you take a few days' leave?
American English: leave
Arabic: إجَازَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: permissão
Chinese: 请假
Croatian: dopust
Czech: dovolená
Danish: orlov
Dutch: verlof
European Spanish: permiso ausencia
Finnish: loma
French: congé
German: Beurlaubung
Greek: άδεια από εργασία
Italian: permesso
Japanese: 許可
Korean: 휴가
Norwegian: permisjon
Polish: pozwolenie urlop
European Portuguese: licença
Romanian: concediu
Russian: позволение
Latin American Spanish: permiso licencia
Swedish: ledighet
Thai: การลาหยุด
Turkish: izin işten izne ayrılmak
Ukrainian: відпустка
Vietnamese: nghỉ phép
British English: leave /liːv/ VERB
place When you leave a place, you go away from it.
Our bus leaves in an hour.
I simply couldn't leave my little girl.
American English: leave
Arabic: يَتْرُكُ
Brazilian Portuguese: deixar
Chinese: 离开
Croatian: napustiti
Czech: odejít
Danish: forlade
Dutch: weggaan
European Spanish: dejar abandonar
Finnish: lähteä
French: partir
German: weggehen
Greek: φεύγω
Italian: partire
Japanese: 出発する
Korean: 떠나다
Norwegian: dra
Polish: odejść
European Portuguese: partir
Romanian: a părăsi
Russian: покидать
Latin American Spanish: dejar marcharse
Swedish: lämna
Thai: ออกจาก
Turkish: ayrılmak
Ukrainian: покидати
Vietnamese: dời đi
British English: leave /liːv/ VERB
let remain somewhere If you leave something somewhere, you do not bring it with you.
I left my bags in the car.
American English: leave
Arabic: يَتْرُكُ
Brazilian Portuguese: deixar
Chinese: 留下
Croatian: ostaviti
Czech: nechatco kde
Danish: efterlade
Dutch: achterlaten
European Spanish: dejar
Finnish: jättää
French: laisser
German: lassen
Greek: αφήνω
Italian: lasciare
Japanese: ･･･を忘れる
Korean: 남겨두다
Norwegian: forlate
Polish: zostawić
European Portuguese: deixar
Romanian: a lăsa
Russian: оставлять
Latin American Spanish: dejar
Swedish: lämna
Thai: ทิ้งไว้
Turkish: bırakmak
Ukrainian: залишати
Vietnamese: để lại
All related terms of 'leave'
beg leave
to ask permission
leave be
to leave undisturbed
leave go
to stop holding
leave off
If someone or something is left off a list , they are not included on that list.
leave out
If you leave someone or something out of an activity, collection , discussion , or group, you do not include them in it.
on leave
officially excused from work or duty
home leave
holiday time for a person who works abroad , during which they can go home
leave alone
to refrain from annoying or interfering with
mass leave
(in India ) leave taken by a large number of employees at the same time, as a form of protest
shore leave
permission to go ashore
sick leave
Sick leave is the time that a person spends away from work because of illness or injury .
study leave
a period of time that school students are given to be off from school in order to study for their exams
take leave
to say farewell (to)
annual leave
the time a person is allowed to take off work as holiday in any one-year period
family leave
temporary leave from work, granted to an employee as to care for a newborn , sick family member, etc.
French leave
an unauthorized or unannounced absence or departure
leave behind
If you leave someone or something behind , you go away permanently from them.
leave-taking
the act of departing ; a farewell
gardening leave
If someone who leaves their job is given gardening leave , they continue to receive their salary and in return they agree not to work for anyone else for a period of time.
leave a gap
A gap is a space between two things or a hole in the middle of something solid.
leave feedback
If a guest leaves feedback , they tell you if they enjoyed their stay and what could be improved.
leave hospital
A hospital is a place where people who are ill are looked after by nurses and doctors .
maternity leave
a period of paid absence from work, in Britain currently six months , to which a woman is legally entitled during the months immediately before and after childbirth
parental leave
Parental leave is time away from work, usually without pay, that parents are allowed in order to look after their children.
paternity leave
If a man has paternity leave , his employer allows him some time off work because his child has just been born.
terminal leave
the final leave granted to a member of the armed forces immediately before discharge , equal in duration to accumulated unused leave
by-your-leave
a request for permission (esp in the phrase without so much as a by-your-leave )
leave for dead
to abandon
leave someone cold
If something leaves you cold , it fails to excite or interest you.
leave the army
An army is a large organized group of people who are armed and trained to fight on land in a war. Most armies are organized and controlled by governments.
sabbatical leave
a year or shorter period of absence for study, rest , or travel , given at intervals (orig. every seven years) as to some college teachers and now to people in other fields , at full or partial salary
take leave of
to say goodbye to
administrative leave
leave, as from a government agency or department , arranged by special permission or directive
compassionate leave
Compassionate leave is time away from your work that your employer allows you for personal reasons , especially when a member of your family dies or is seriously ill .
leave it at that
to take a matter no further
leave of absence
If you have leave of absence you have permission to be away from work for a certain period.
leave the field
to back out of a competition , contest , etc
leave well alone
to refrain from interfering with something that is satisfactory
leave your mark
to do something important that has a lasting effect
take one's leave
to go away ; depart
ticket of leave
(formerly in Britain) a permit allowing a convict ( ticket-of-leave man ) to leave prison , after serving only part of his sentence , with certain restrictions placed on him
absent without leave
absent from duty without official permission but with no intention of deserting
leave in the lurch
to leave in an uncomfortable or desperate situation; desert in time of trouble
leave someone alone
to permit to stay or be alone
leave sth too late
If you leave something too late , you delay doing it so that when you eventually do it, it is useless or ineffective .
let alone
Let alone is used after a statement , usually a negative one, to indicate that the statement is even more true of the person, thing, or situation that you are going to mention next .
just leave well alone
to refrain from interfering with something that is satisfactory
leave sth until last
If you leave something or someone until last , you delay using, choosing , or dealing with them until you have used, chosen, or dealt with all the others.
take it or leave it
If you say to someone ' take it or leave it ', you are telling them that they can accept something or not accept it, but that you are not prepared to discuss any other alternatives .
ticket-of-leave man
(formerly in Britain) a convict who had a permit to leave prison , after serving only part of his sentence , with certain restrictions placed on him
Chinese translation of 'leave'
leave
(liːv)
Word forms:ptppleft
vt
(= depart from)[place]离(離)开(開) (líkāi)
⇒ They left the house after tea.吃过茶点后，他们离开了家。 (Chīguo chádiǎn hòu, tāmen líkāile jiā.)
(= give up)[school, job, group]放弃(棄) (fàngqì)
⇒ He left school with no qualifications.他弃学了，没有拿到任何文凭。 (Tā qìxué le, méiyǒu nádào rènhé wénpíng.)
(= take leave of)[person]与(與) ... 分开(開) (yǔ ... fēnkāi)
⇒ I simply couldn't bear to leave my little girl.我就是忍受不了与我的小女儿分开。 (Wǒ jiùshì rěnshòu bù liǎo yǔ wǒ de xiǎo nǚ'ér fēnkāi.)
(= abandon)[wife, family]抛(拋)弃(棄) (pāoqì)
⇒ My husband left me for another woman.我丈夫为了另一个女人抛弃了我。 (Wǒ zhàngfu wèile lìng yī gè nǚrén pāoqìle wǒ.)
(= cause)[mark, stain, impression]留下 (liúxià)
⇒ Coffee leaves a stain.咖啡会留下污迹。 (Kāfēi huì liú xià wūjì.)
(= leave behind) (deliberately) 留下 (liúxià)
⇒ Leave your key with a neighbour.把钥匙留给邻居。 (Bǎ yàoshi liú gěi línjū.)
(accidentally) 落 (luò)
⇒ I had left my raincoat in the restaurant.我把雨衣落在饭店里了。 (Wǒ bǎ yǔyī là zài fàndiàn li le.)
[message]留 (liú)
⇒ Can I leave a message for Jim?我能不能给吉姆留个口信？ (Wǒ néng bù néng gěi Jímǔ liú gè kǒuxìn?)
(= keep back)[food, space, time]留 (liú)
⇒ Leave some of the stew for the boys.把炖菜给那几个男孩留一些。 (Bǎ dùncài gěi nà jǐ gè nánhái liú yīxiē.)
(= waste)[food, drink]剩 (shèng)
vi
(= depart)
[person]离(離)开(開) (líkāi)
[bus, train]出发(發) (chūfā)
⇒ My train leaves at 11.30.我坐的火车11点30分出发。 (Wǒ zuò de huǒchē shíyī diǎn sānshí fēn chūfā.)
(= give up school) 辍(輟)学(學) (chuòxué)
(= give up job) 辞(辭)职(職) (cízhí)
⇒ He hated his job, so he left.他憎恶他的工作，所以辞职了。 (Tā zēngwù tā de gōngzuò, suǒyǐ cízhí le.)
n(u)
(= time off maternity/sick etc leave) 休假 (xiūjià)
⇒ Why don't you take a few days' leave?你为什么不休几天假？ (Nǐ wèishénme bù xiū jǐ tiān jià?)
(Mil) 假期 (jiàqī)
⇒ How much leave do you get?你有多少探亲假？ (Nǐ yǒu duōshǎo tànqīn jià?)
to leave sth to sb[money, property etc]把某物留给(給)某人 (bǎ mǒuwù liú gěi mǒurén)
to leave sth until later把某事往后(後)拖延 (bǎ mǒushì wǎnghòu tuōyán)
to leave sb/sth alone不理会(會)某人/某物 (bù lǐhuì mǒurén/mǒuwù)
to leave sb to do sth让(讓)某人做某事 (ràng mǒurén zuò mǒushì)
the accident left four people dead该(該)事故造成4人死亡 (gāi shìgù zàochéng sì rén sǐwáng)
he leaves a wife and two children他死后(後)留下了妻子和两(兩)个(個)孩子 (tā sǐ hòu liúxiàle qīzi hé liǎng gè háizi)
to be left with sth被赠(贈)予某物 (bèi zèngyǔ mǒuwù)
⇒ When their mother died they were left with nothing.母亲死后没有留给他们任何遗产。 (Mǔqīn sǐ hòu méiyǒu liúgěi tāmen rènhé yíchǎn.)
to leave for[destination]前往 (qiánwǎng)
⇒ My plan was to leave for the seaside.我的计划是前往海边。 (Wǒ de jìhuà shì qiánwǎng hǎibiān.)
to take one's leave (of sb) (frm) (向某人)告别(別) ((xiàng mǒurén) gàobié)
to be on leave在休假 (zài xiūjià)
All related terms of 'leave'
leave on
( light, heating ) 开(開)着(著) kāizhe
leave off
( cover, lid ) 敞开(開) chǎngkāi
leave out
删(刪)掉 shāndiào ⇒ One or two scenes in the play were left out. → 剧中的一两个场景被删掉了。 Jù zhōng de yī liǎng gè chǎngjǐng bèi shāndiào le.
sick leave
病假 bìngjià
leave behind
( forget ) 忘带(帶) wàngdài
maternity leave
产(產)假 chǎnjià
to leave for
( destination ) 前往 qiánwǎng ⇒ My plan was to leave for the seaside. → 我的计划是前往海边。 Wǒ de jìhuà shì qiánwǎng hǎibiān.