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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
leave1 verb (left, leaving) 1 intrans to go away from someone or somewhere. 2 to allow something to remain behind, especially by mistake • left the keys at home. 3 to move out of somewhere. 4 to abandon. 5 intrans to resign or quit. 6 to allow someone or something to remain in a particular state or condition • leave the window open. 7 to deliver to or deposit with someone • I'll leave the keys with a neighbour. 8 to cause • It may leave a scar. 9 to have as a remainder • Three minus one leaves two. 10 to make a gift of something in a will • left all her money to charity. 11 to be survived by • leaves a wife and daughter. 12 to cause (especially food or drink) to remain unfinished • She left half her dinner. 13 to hand or turn something over to someone else • left the driving to her. be left with to be burdened with • He was left with a huge bill. leave someone or something be 1 to allow them or it to remain unchanged. 2 to leave them or it alone. leave for dead to abandon someone who is assumed to be dead. leave go colloq to let go. leave someone holding the baby to abandon them to an unpleasant task or fate. leave someone in the lurch see under lurch2. leave it at that to take no further action, make no more comment on, etc. leave it out! slang stop it! leave little or much to be desired to be slightly or very inadequate or unsatisfactory. leave something unsaid to hold back from saying it. leave well alone to refrain from interfering with something, especially when it is functioning adequately.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon læfan to remain.
leave someone or something alone to allow them or it to remain undisturbed. leave someone or something behind 1 to go without taking them or it, either intentionally or accidently. 2 to outdistance them. leave for somewhere to set out for a place. leave off something to stop doing it. leave something on to leave it switched on, usually by mistake. leave someone or something out to exclude or omit it or them. |
leave2 noun 1 permission to do something. 2 permission to be absent, especially from work or military duties. 3 permitted absence from work or military duties. 4 the length of time this lasts • took a week's leave. 5 old use a formal parting or farewell. on leave officially absent from work. take leave to assume permission. take leave of one's senses to become irrational, especially suddenly and without any apparent reason. take one's leave formal, old use to depart.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon leafe permission.
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
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Chambers Biographical Dictionary
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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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