1 a : to go away from (a place) [+ obj] ▪ What time will you leave the office? ▪ Don't leave home without your wallet. ▪ I left the party at seven o'clock. [no obj] ▪ We will leave at 10 o'clock. ▪ Are we leaving soon? ▪ She left quickly. ▪ They left by bus. ▪ The train left an hour ago but another will be arriving soon. — often + for ▪ We're leaving for the game in an hour. ▪ The train left from Paris for Barcelona an hour ago.
b [+ obj] : to go away from (a place) to live in a different place
▪ They left the country for a new life in the city. ▪ He left town a month ago. ▪ He left home [=left his parent's house and lived somewhere else] after graduating from high school. 2 a [+ obj] : to go away from (a person)
▪ She left her friends and went home. ▪ We left him so that he could do his work. = We left him to his work. = He had work to do, so we left him to it. ▪ We left him doing his work. [=he was doing his work when we left him]
b : to stop living with and having a close personal relationship with (someone) [+ obj] ▪ His mother left [=abandoned, deserted] him when he was very young. ▪ He left his wife and children. ▪ His wife left him for another man. [no obj] ▪ He hasn't been the same since his wife left. 3 a [+ obj] : to give up or stop having (a job, position, etc.)
▪ He left [=quit] his job and went back to school. ▪ a politician who will be leaving office next year
b : to stop attending, belonging to, or working for (a school, a group, an organization, etc.) [+ obj] ▪ She left school and got a job. ▪ She left our team and joined another one. ▪ He has one more year before he leaves the army. ▪ He's going to be leaving the company soon and starting his own business. [no obj] ▪ You must give the company two weeks' notice before leaving.
c [+ obj] : to stop participating in (something, such as a game)
▪ The starting quarterback had to leave the game because of an injury. ▪ When did she leave the meeting? 4 [+ obj] a : to go away and allow or cause (something or someone) to remain
▪ Please leave your books at home. ▪ You may leave your things in this room. : to put or bring (something or someone) somewhere and go away ▪ I left the groceries on the table. ▪ Please leave the package by the door. ▪ We left a turkey (roasting) in the oven. ▪ I left my brother at the airport. ▪ They left their dog in the car.
b ◊If you leave someone or something with someone, you allow someone to keep and care for someone or something while you are away.
▪ They went out to dinner and left their children (home) with a babysitter. ▪ We left our dog with the neighbors while we went on vacation.
c : to go away and forget or neglect to take (something)
▪ He left [=forgot] his wallet at the restaurant. ▪ I left my homework in my car. ▪ Did you leave your key in the door again?
d : to go away permanently without taking (something or someone)
▪ He left nothing in his old apartment. — often + behind ▪ They left behind everything they owned. ▪ We had to leave our family and friends behind. ▪ He left it all behind. [=took nothing with him] ▪ I wanted to leave the past behind. [=forget about the past] 5 [+ obj] : to put (something) in a place for another person to take or have
▪ Did she leave a package for me? ▪ We left a good tip for our waitress. = We left our waitress a good tip. ▪ I left a message (for you) on your answering machine. ▪ He left his name and phone number. 6 [+ obj] a : to allow someone else to deal with or do (something) — often + with ▪ “It's a pretty complicated problem.” “Leave it with me: I'll see what I can do.” — often + for ▪ You don't have to wash the dishes. Just leave them for me. [=I will wash the dishes] — often + to ▪ Leave your computer problems to the experts. [=let the experts solve your computer problems] ▪ That kind of decision should be left to the parents. ▪ They left the decision (up) to me. ▪ She left it to the readers to decide the story's ending. ▪ I'll leave it (up) to you (to decide) whether or not we go to the movies. ▪ I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ Whether or not we have a picnic will be left (up) to the weather. [=will be determined by the weather]
b ◊In informal U.S. English, you can say leave it to someone (to do something), when someone has acted in a way that is typical or expected.
▪ Leave it to my mom to make everyone feel comfortable. [=my mom always makes everyone feel comfortable]
c ◊If people leave you to do something, they do not help you do it.
▪ He left me to find my own way home. ▪ She was left to finish the job by herself. ▪ I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. ▪ I was left to fend for myself. 7 [+ obj] : to cause (something or someone) to be or remain in a specified condition or position
▪ Years of pollution has left [=made] the water undrinkable. ▪ Their argument left him angry and confused. ▪ The accident left him paralyzed. ▪ Your kind words leave me speechless. ▪ I'll leave the door unlocked for you. ▪ She left the door/window open. ▪ Did you leave the lights on? ▪ Much was left undone. ▪ Let's just leave it at that. [=let's not change it or discuss it further] — often + -ing verb ▪ They cut down the trees but left the rosebushes standing. ▪ It left them wondering when it would all end. — often + with ▪ I don't want to punish you, but your actions leave me (with) no/little choice. [=your actions make it necessary for me to punish you] ▪ They were left with no option but to sell their car. [=they were forced to sell their car] 8 [+ obj] a : to allow (something) to remain available or unused
▪ He wanted to leave a way out for himself. = He wanted to leave himself a way out. ▪ Please leave space/room for another chair. ▪ Don't eat too much. You need to leave room for dessert. [=you need to leave enough room in your stomach so that you can eat dessert] ▪ That doesn't leave much room for discussion.
b ◊An amount that is left (over) or that you have left (over) is an amount that remains after the rest has been used or taken away.
▪ There is only one piece of bread left. [=remaining] ▪ After feeding 20 people, there was nothing left for me. ▪ How much time do we have left before we can go home? ▪ There was no one left in the city after the parade. ▪ Do we have any pizza left over from last night? ▪ We have many decorations left over from the party. 9 [+ obj] : to cause (something) to remain as a result, mark, or sign
▪ The cut left an ugly scar. ▪ The grape juice left a stain on the carpet. ▪ The rain is leaving a thin layer of ice on the roads. ▪ The thief was careful not to leave any clues. ▪ We promise we won't leave a mess. ▪ His visit left a lasting impression on our family. ▪ The experience left a bad taste in my mouth. [=the experience made me feel bad or disgusted] 10 [+ obj] a : to have (family members) living after your death
▪ He left (behind) a widow and two children. ▪ She leaves (behind) 7 children and 28 grandchildren.
b : to give (something, such as money or property) to (someone) after your death
▪ She left a fortune to her husband. ▪ His parents left him a house and a small amount of money. 11 [+ obj] mathematics : to have (a number) as a remainder
▪ Taking 7 from 10 leaves 3.