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
Words nearby left
Definition for left (2 of 4)
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
SYNONYMS FOR leave
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 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, nounDefinition for left (4 of 4)
leave
3
[ leev ]
/ liv /
verb (used without object), leaved, leav·ing.
to put forth leaves; leaf.
Origin of leave
3Example 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)
British Dictionary definitions for left (3 of 5)
leave
1
/ (liːv) /
verb leaves, leaving or left (mainly tr)
Derived forms of leave
leaver, nounWord 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