| English Dictionary |
LEAVE (leaves, left)
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
, left Dictionary entry overview: What does leave mean?
• LEAVE (noun)
The noun LEAVE has 3 senses:
1. the period of time during which you are absent from work or duty
2. permission to do something
3. the act of departing politely
Familiarity information: LEAVE used as a noun is uncommon.
• LEAVE (verb)
The verb LEAVE has 14 senses:
1. go away from a place
2. go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness
3. act or be so as to become in a specified state
4. leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking
5. move out of or depart from
6. make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain
7. produce as a result or residue
8. remove oneself from an association with or participation in
9. put into the care or protection of someone
10. leave or give by will after one's death
11. have left or have as a remainder
12. be survived by after one's death
13. transmit (knowledge or skills)
14. leave behind unintentionally
Familiarity information: LEAVE used as a verb is familiar.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
The period of time during which you are absent from work or duty
Classified under:
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations
Synonyms:
leave; leave of absence
Context example:
a ten day's leave to visit his mother
Hypernyms ("leave" is a kind of...):
time off (a time period when you are not required to work)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leave"):
furlough (a temporary leave of absence from military duty)
pass ((military) a written leave of absence)
compassionate leave ((military) leave granted in an emergency such as family sickness or death)
sabbatical; sabbatical leave (a leave usually taken every seventh year)
liberty; shore leave (leave granted to a sailor or naval officer)
sick leave (a leave of absence from work because of illness)
terminal leave (final leave before discharge from military service)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Permission to do something
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Context example:
she was granted leave to speak
Hypernyms ("leave" is a kind of...):
permission (approval to do something)
Sense 3
Meaning:
The act of departing politely
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
farewell; leave; leave-taking; parting
Context example:
parting is such sweet sorrow
Hypernyms ("leave" is a kind of...):
departure; going; going away; leaving (the act of departing)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leave"):
valediction (the act of saying farewell)
Derivation:
leave (go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness)
leave (go away from a place)
leave (move out of or depart from)
| Conjugation: |
... he / she / it leaves Past simple: left
Past participle: left
-ing form: leaving
Sense 1
Meaning:
Go away from a place
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
Context example:
The ship leaves at midnight
Verb group:
depart; leave; pull up stakes (remove oneself from an association with or participation in)
exit; get out; go out; leave (move out of or depart from)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
abandon; empty; vacate (leave behind empty; move out of)
slip away; sneak away; sneak off; sneak out; steal away (leave furtively and stealthily)
break away; bunk; escape; fly the coop; head for the hills; hightail it; lam; run; run away; scarper; scat; take to the woods; turn tail (flee; take to one's heels; cut and run)
rush away; rush off (depart in a hurry)
get out; pull out (move out or away)
depart; part; set forth; set off; set out; start; start out; take off (leave)
linger; tarry (leave slowly and hesitantly)
go out (take the field)
ride away; ride off (ride away on a horse, for example)
bugger off; buzz off; fuck off; get; scram (leave immediately; used usually in the imperative form)
decamp; skip; vamoose (leave suddenly)
come away (leave in a certain condition)
walk out (leave abruptly, often in protest or anger)
walk away; walk off (go away from)
pop off (leave quickly)
depart; quit; take leave (go away or leave)
desert (leave behind)
go out (leave the house to go somewhere)
beetle off; bolt; bolt out; run off; run out (leave suddenly and as if in a hurry)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Sentence example:
John will leave angry
Antonym:
arrive (reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress)
Derivation:
leave (the act of departing politely)
leaver (someone who leaves)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Context example:
she wept thinking she had been left behind
Verb group:
forget; leave (leave behind unintentionally)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
jilt (cast aside capriciously or unfeelingly)
abandon; desert; desolate; forsake (leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Sentence examples:
They leave the people the food
They leave the money in the closet
Derivation:
leave (the act of departing politely)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Act or be so as to become in a specified state
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context example:
The president's remarks left us speechless
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
get; make (give certain properties to something)
Verb group:
lead; leave; result (produce as a result or residue)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Something ----s somebody
Sense 4
Meaning:
Leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
leave; leave alone; leave behind; let alone
Context example:
leave the flowers that you see in the park behind
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
forbear; refrain (resist doing something)
Verb group:
leave (have left or have as a remainder)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
let (leave unchanged)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
Sense 5
Meaning:
Move out of or depart from
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
Context example:
the fugitive has left the country
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)
Verb group:
go away; go forth; leave (go away from a place)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
fall out (leave (a barracks) in order to take a place in a military formation, or leave a military formation)
log off; log out (exit a computer)
undock (move out of a dock)
eject (leave an aircraft rapidly, using an ejection seat or capsule)
step out (go outside a room or building for a short period of time)
get off (leave a vehicle, aircraft, etc.)
get off; hop out (get out of quickly)
file out (march out, in a file)
pop out (exit briefly)
depart; go; go away (move away from a place into another direction)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sentence example:
The men leave the boat
Derivation:
leave (the act of departing politely)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
allow; allow for; leave; provide
Context example:
This procedure provides for lots of leeway
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
afford; give; yield (be the cause or source of)
Verb group:
admit; allow (afford possibility)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 7
Meaning:
Produce as a result or residue
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
Context example:
Her blood left a stain on the napkin
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
bring about; give rise; produce (cause to happen, occur or exist)
Verb group:
leave (act or be so as to become in a specified state)
leave (have left or have as a remainder)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
lead (tend to or result in)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Sense 8
Meaning:
Remove oneself from an association with or participation in
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
depart; leave; pull up stakes
Context example:
after 20 years with the same company, she pulled up stakes
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)
Verb group:
go away; go forth; leave (go away from a place)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
leave office; quit; resign; step down (give up or retire from a position)
drop out (leave school or an educational program prematurely)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
They leave the countryside
Sense 9
Meaning:
Put into the care or protection of someone
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
entrust; leave
Context example:
leave your child in the nurse's care
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
give; hand; pass; pass on; reach; turn over (place into the hands or custody of)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Sentence examples:
They leave the money to them
They leave them the money
Sense 10
Meaning:
Leave or give by will after one's death
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
Context example:
My grandfather left me his entire estate
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
gift; give; present (give as a present; make a gift of)
Verb group:
give; impart; leave; pass on (transmit (knowledge or skills))
leave; leave behind (be survived by after one's death)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
devise (give by will, especially real property)
pass on (give to or transfer possession of)
remember (show appreciation to)
entail; fee-tail (limit the inheritance of property to a specific class of heirs)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Sentence examples:
They leave the money to them
They leave them the money
Sense 11
Meaning:
Have left or have as a remainder
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context example:
19 minus 8 leaves 11
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
have (have left)
Verb group:
leave; leave alone; leave behind; let alone (leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking)
lead; leave; result (produce as a result or residue)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Sense 12
Meaning:
Be survived by after one's death
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
leave; leave behind
Context example:
At her death, she left behind her husband and 11 cats
"Leave" entails doing...:
buy the farm; cash in one's chips; choke; conk; croak; decease; die; drop dead; exit; expire; give-up the ghost; go; kick the bucket; pass; pass away; perish; pop off; snuff it (pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life)
Verb group:
leave behind (depart and not take along)
bequeath; leave; will (leave or give by will after one's death)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
widow (cause to be without a spouse)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Sentence example:
Sam cannot leave Sue
Sense 13
Meaning:
Transmit (knowledge or skills)
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
Context example:
impart a new skill to the students
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
tell (let something be known)
Verb group:
bequeath; leave; will (leave or give by will after one's death)
give (convey or reveal information)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "leave"):
convey ((of information) make known; pass on)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Sense 14
Meaning:
Leave behind unintentionally
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
forget; leave
Context example:
I left my keys inside the car and locked the doors
Hypernyms (to "leave" is one way to...):
lose (miss from one's possessions; lose sight of)
Verb group:
leave (go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something PP
Sentence example:
They leave the money in the closet
Context examples
The king of a great land died, and left his queen to take care of their only child.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
A third and answering cry arose, also to the rear and to the left of the second cry.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
Amy fared worst of all, for her resources were small, and when her sisters left her to amuse herself, she soon found that accomplished and important little self a great burden.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
The long, thin cloud to the left of the dark spot is a transient feature that is not part of the storm system.
(Hubble Reveals Dynamic Atmospheres of Uranus, Neptune, NASA)
The nature of the point-like source on the lower left is unknown.
("Mini Supernova" Explosion Could Have Big Impact, NASA)
Comets are time capsules containing primitive material left over from the epoch when the sun and its planets formed.
(Rosetta closing in on comet, NASA)
The Emerald City was soon left far behind.
(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)
I waited, in the utmost impatience, until my mother came home from Mrs. Grayper's (for it was that identical neighbour), to ascertain if we could get leave to carry out this great idea.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
The lady I had left might be about twenty-nine; the one who went with me appeared some years younger: the first impressed me by her voice, look, and air.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
It consists of the right and left lobes.
(Anterior Surface of the Liver, NCI Thesaurus)
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