leave*/*/*/

[liːv] (past tense and past participle left [left] ) verb I

1) [I/T] to go away from a place

We left London at three in the afternoon.[/ex]

Your plane leaves in ten minutes.[/ex]

She leaves for work at 7.30 every morning.[/ex]

2) [I/T] to go away from a place permanently

He didn't leave home until he was 24.[/ex]

3) [I/T] to stop working for an organization, or to stop going to school or college

He decided to leave the company after 15 years.[/ex]

4) [T] to produce something that remains after you have gone

The government left the economy in ruins.[/ex]

The ants leave a trail of chemicals for others to follow.[/ex]

5) [T] to put something somewhere and forget to take it away with you

I left my homework on the bus.[/ex]

6) [I/T] to end a relationship with someone and stop living with them

His wife has threatened to leave him.[/ex]

7) [T] to put something somewhere, especially in a place where it will stay

Leave your things by the door.[/ex]

I'll leave a note for Leigh.[/ex]

8) [T] to produce a feeling or opinion

I was left with the feeling that she wasn't being quite honest.[/ex]

Kate's sudden departure left us all wondering what was going to happen.[/ex]

9) [T] to not do something that can be done later, or that can be done by someone else

Leave the dishes and do them in the morning.[/ex]

Don't worry – just leave everything to me.[/ex]

10) [T] to not make a decision and let someone else make it

Leave questions of guilt or innocence for the jury to decide.[/ex]

11) [T] to not use something

I hope you've left enough hot water for me to have a shower.[/ex]

You've left half your dinner.[/ex]

There was some material left over when I'd finished making the dress.[/ex]

We don't have much money left.[/ex]

12) [T] to say that you want someone to have your money, property etc after you die

She left her jewels to her favourite niece.[/ex]

He left her all his money.[/ex]

•

leave it at that — to not do anything more about something[/ex]

leave a lot to be desired — to be of a very low quality or standard[/ex]

The food left a lot to be desired.[/ex]

leave a lot to be desired — spoken used for saying that something is of a very low standard[/ex]

- leave sb/sth behind

- leave sb/sth out

Other ways of saying leave ■ depart (formal) to leave a place: used mainly about planes, trains, and other types of transport ■ go a general word used for talking about leaving a place or situation ■ go away to leave a place: often used for ordering someone to leave ■ set off to leave a place at the beginning of a journey ■ storm out to leave a place in an angry way ■ walk out to leave a job or relationship suddenly ■ Both forget and leave can be used to talk about not taking something that you need with you. ■ Use leave, not forget, when you mention the place where the thing is: Oh no, I've forgotten my keys. ♦ Don't forget your wallet. ♦ I can't find my keys – I must have left them somewhere. ♦ Don't leave your bag in your hotel room. II

noun [U]

leave [liːv]

a period of time when you are officially away from your job or the armed forces

You are entitled to six weeks annual leave.[/ex]