left

1
[ left ]
/ lɛft /

adjective

noun

adverb

toward the left: She moved left on entering the room.

Origin of left

1
1125–75; 1935–40 for def 6; Middle English left, lift, luft, Old English left idle, weak, useless, Kentish form of lyft- (in lyftādl palsy); cognate with Dutch, Low German lucht; akin to Middle English libbe (modern dial. lib) to castrate, cognate with Dutch, Low German lubben

Definition for left (2 of 4)

left 2
[ left ]
/ lɛft /

verb

simple past tense and past participle of leave1.

Definition for left (3 of 4)

leave 1
[ leev ]
/ liv /

verb (used with object), left, leav·ing.

verb (used without object), left, leav·ing.

to go away, depart, or set out: We leave for Europe tomorrow.

Verb Phrases

Origin of leave

1
before 900; Middle English leven, Old English lǣfan (causative formation from base of lāf remainder; see lave2); cognate with Old High German leiban (compare German bleiben to remain), Old Norse leifa, Gothic -laibjan

usage note for leave

Leave is interchangeable with let when followed by alone with the sense “to refrain from annoying or interfering with”: Leave (or Let ) her alone and she will solve the problem easily. When he was left (or let ) alone without interruptions, the boy quickly assembled the apparatus. The use of leave alone for let alone in the sense “not to mention” is nonstandard: There wasn't any standing room, let (not leave ) alone a seat, so I missed the performance.
Other substitutions of leave for let are generally regarded as nonstandard: Let (not Leave ) us sit down and talk this over. Let (not Leave ) her do it her own way. The police wouldn't let (not leave ) us cross the barriers. See also let1.

OTHER WORDS FROM leave

leav·er, noun

Definition for left (4 of 4)

leave 3
[ leev ]
/ liv /

verb (used without object), leaved, leav·ing.

to put forth leaves; leaf.

Origin of leave

3
1250–1300; Middle English leven, derivative of lef leaf

Example sentences from the Web for left

British Dictionary definitions for left (1 of 5)

left 1
/ (lɛft) /

adjective

adverb

on or in the direction of the left

noun

Word Origin for left

Old English left idle, weak, variant of lyft- (in lyftādl palsy, literally: left-disease); related to Middle Dutch lucht left

British Dictionary definitions for left (2 of 5)

left 2
/ (lɛft) /

verb

the past tense and past participle of leave 1

British Dictionary definitions for left (3 of 5)

leave 1
/ (liːv) /

verb leaves, leaving or left (mainly tr)

Derived forms of leave

leaver, noun

Word Origin for leave

Old English lǣfan; related to belīfan to be left as a remainder

British Dictionary definitions for left (4 of 5)

leave 2
/ (liːv) /

noun

Word Origin for leave

Old English lēaf; related to alӯfan to permit, Middle High German loube permission

British Dictionary definitions for left (5 of 5)

leave 3
/ (liːv) /

verb leaves, leaving or leaved

(intr) to produce or grow leaves

Idioms and Phrases with left (1 of 2)

left

Idioms and Phrases with left (2 of 2)

leave