Left

/lɛft/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The side or direction that is opposite to the right.

He raised his left hand to signal.

A political orientation or position favoring social equality.

She identifies as part of the political left.

verb

Past tense of leave; to have departed from a place.

She left the party early to get some rest.

To allow something to remain in a place.

He left his book on the table.

adjective

Situated on, or moving toward, the side of the body that is toward the west when facing north.

He turned left at the intersection.

Located on the left side or having a leftward direction.

The left side of the room is where the windows are.

Old English 'lyft', meaning weak or foolish, possibly related to the sense of being on the left side.

left out

To be excluded from a group or activity.

left hanging

To leave someone in a state of uncertainty or suspense.

left and right

In every direction; abundantly.

the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing

When two parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities.

leftist

A person with left-wing political views.

leftover

Something that remains; especially food not eaten or used.

left-field

Unusual or unexpected; originating from a surprising source.

Left on read

He texted her but she left him on read, ignoring his message.

Left in the dust

After the sprint, I was left in the dust by my faster teammates.