left
ˈleft 
; leaving
; leaving
1
2
a
: to cause or allow to be or remain in a specified condition
leave the door open
his manner left me cold
b
: to fail to include or take along
left the notes at home
the movie leaves a lot out
c
: to have as a remainder
4 from 7 leaves 3
d
: to permit to be or remain subject to another's action or control
just leave everything to me
e
: let
f
: to cause or allow to be or remain available
leave room for expansion
left myself an out
3
4
: to put, deposit, or deliver before or in the process of departing
I left a package for you
leave a message
leaver
noun
Leave vs. Let: Usage Guide
Leave (sense 2e) with the infinitive but without to
leave it be
is a mostly spoken idiom used in writing especially for humorous effect. It is not often criticized in British English, but American commentators, adhering to an opinion first expressed in 1881, still dislike it.
Synonyms
Examples of leave in a Sentence
Noun
He took an unpaid leave from work.
The soldiers were given a two-month leave for the holidays.
He took a few months' leave to care for his sick mother.
Our professor is on leave this semester.
She is on leave from her law firm.
a soldier on military leave
I beg leave to differ with you, sir.
He was found guilty but was granted leave to appeal against the verdict.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ron Elving, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024
Battling discrimination carried out via web filters is like a game of whack-a-mole in a nation where much of the decision-making is left to more than 13,000 individual school districts.
—Tara García Mathewson, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
The government [has] professional shooters shoot deer and quite often leave them in our national parks, [making] the wild dog population worse.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Rosas added that even after SBA officials leave San Diego as part of their official disaster response, the SBA still has a district office in San Diego (550 West C St., #550) where people can access resources and support for small businesses and residents.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
This time, the Heat eked out a win, in double overtime, but Butler looked uncharacteristically lost in the clutch, holding on to the ball too long, turning it over with a chance to win and six seconds left in the first overtime.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
The rhetoric touches a emotional chord with people who believe they’re being left behind in a transforming society.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
Gas goes in, going places comes out, nothing left to think about.
—Erin Marquis / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024
The sudden comment ban caused many users to flock to X, inciting memes depicting confusion and abandonment of the social network, while others were left wondering if the error was a result of an April Fool's Day prank.
—The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2024
Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
For the best results, choose flowers and leaves that can lay relatively flat on paper.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
With its green leaves and white flowers, hoteliers in Margarita began years ago to plant it as landscaping.
—Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
Lander has been on leave from the Riggs Elementary principal position since at least mid-February.
—The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024
Federal investments in paid leave, childcare, and aging and disability care would benefit all of us.
—Dawn Huckelbridge, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2024
They have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
—Charles Rabin and, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
The projects included raking leaves around campus, weeding and planting flowers, laying a walkway and planting a tree in Wiley's honor.
—Jade Thomas, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Apr. 2024
The search for a new superintendent began after the Bald Knob School Board placed Melissa Gipson, the previous superintendent, on leave in October.
—Danny Shameer, arkansasonline.com, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
Beyond the state government and education establishment, Madison has become a magnet for white collar occupations and a hard place for many recent UW graduates to leave.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024
Battling discrimination carried out via web filters is like a game of whack-a-mole in a nation where much of the decision-making is left to more than 13,000 individual school districts.
—Tara García Mathewson, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
The government [has] professional shooters shoot deer and quite often leave them in our national parks, [making] the wild dog population worse.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Rosas added that even after SBA officials leave San Diego as part of their official disaster response, the SBA still has a district office in San Diego (550 West C St., #550) where people can access resources and support for small businesses and residents.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
This time, the Heat eked out a win, in double overtime, but Butler looked uncharacteristically lost in the clutch, holding on to the ball too long, turning it over with a chance to win and six seconds left in the first overtime.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
The rhetoric touches a emotional chord with people who believe they’re being left behind in a transforming society.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
Gas goes in, going places comes out, nothing left to think about.
—Erin Marquis / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024
The sudden comment ban caused many users to flock to X, inciting memes depicting confusion and abandonment of the social network, while others were left wondering if the error was a result of an April Fool's Day prank.
—The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2024
Noun
Stockton police said the officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave, as is standard policy.
—Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
For the best results, choose flowers and leaves that can lay relatively flat on paper.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
With its green leaves and white flowers, hoteliers in Margarita began years ago to plant it as landscaping.
—Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
Lander has been on leave from the Riggs Elementary principal position since at least mid-February.
—The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024
Federal investments in paid leave, childcare, and aging and disability care would benefit all of us.
—Dawn Huckelbridge, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2024
They have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
—Charles Rabin and, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
The projects included raking leaves around campus, weeding and planting flowers, laying a walkway and planting a tree in Wiley's honor.
—Jade Thomas, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Apr. 2024
The search for a new superintendent began after the Bald Knob School Board placed Melissa Gipson, the previous superintendent, on leave in October.
—Danny Shameer, arkansasonline.com, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to leave
Dictionary Entries Near leave
Cite this Entry
“Leave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leave. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
leave
1 of 3 verb
left
ˈleft
; leaving
; leaving
1
a
: to give by will : bequeath
left a fortune to his daughter
b
: to have remaining after one's death
leaves a widow and two children
c
: to cause to remain as a trace or aftereffect
oil leaves a stain
also
: to cause to remain behind
leave your money at home
2
a
: to cause or allow to be or remain in a specified condition
leave the door open
b
: to fail to include or take along
left my notes at home
the movie leaves a lot out
c
: to have as a remainder
taking 4 from 7 leaves 3
d
: to permit to be or remain subject to another's action or control
just leave everything to me
f
: to cause or allow to be or remain available
leave room for more
3
a
: to go away from : depart
leave the room
b
: desert sense 2
left his wife
c
: to terminate association with : withdraw from
left school before graduation
4
: to put, deposit, or deliver especially before or in the process of departing
left a package on your doorstep
leave
2 of 3 noun1
b
: authorized absence from duty or employment
2
: an act of leaving
Etymology
Verb
Old English lǣfan "to give to one's heirs"
Noun
Old English lēaf "permission"
Verb
Middle English leven "to produce leaves," from leef "a leaf"
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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