Leave

/liːv/

Meaning & Definition

noun
Permission to do something, especially to leave or be away from work.
She took a leave of absence to care for her sick parent.
An act of departing or going away.
His leave was granted for two weeks.
verb
To go away from a place.
I will leave the office at 5 PM.
To allow someone to have or keep something.
Please leave your contact information with the receptionist.
To let something remain or be in a certain state.
I will leave the door open for you.

Etymology

Old English 'lefan', meaning 'to allow, permit'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

leave it be:
To not interfere or make changes.
leave someone hanging:
To not provide help or support when expected.
leave no stone unturned:
To search thoroughly or exhaustively.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

Bounce
I gotta bounce; see you later!
Dip
Let's dip out of here before it gets crowded.