leave
A1Neutral/Universal
Definition
Meaning
To go away from a place or person.
To cause something or someone to remain in a particular state or place; to abandon or depart permanently; to give (something) to someone after one's death.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Has a wide semantic range from physical departure to abstract/permanent separation; often implies intent or permission.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major syntactic differences. 'Leave' (noun for holiday/vacation) is more formal in UK; US uses 'vacation' more commonly for extended breaks. In UK, 'leave' is often used in military or official contexts (e.g., 'on leave').
Connotations
In US, 'to leave someone' can strongly imply ending a relationship. In both, 'leave it' can mean 'stop interfering'.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SV (She left.)SVO (He left the door open.)SVOA (They left a note on the table.)SVC (She left angry.)SVOC (This leaves me confused.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “leave no stone unturned”
- “take leave of one's senses”
- “leave someone high and dry”
- “leave well enough alone”
- “leave a lot to be desired”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Requesting or granting time off work (e.g., 'maternity leave', 'sabbatical leave').
Academic
To withdraw from a course or institution (e.g., 'take a leave of absence').
Everyday
Physical departure or allowing something to remain.
Technical
Legal or military: 'shore leave', 'administrative leave'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- He's on sick leave until next month.
- She was granted compassionate leave.
- The soldiers had three weeks' leave.
American English
- She's on maternity leave.
- He took a leave of absence.
- The officer was on administrative leave.
verb
British English
- The train leaves at half nine.
- Don't leave your umbrella on the train.
- He decided to leave his job.
- Leave the washing-up; I'll do it later.
American English
- The plane leaves at 9:30.
- Don't leave your phone in the car.
- She left him last year.
- Leave the dishes; I'll get them.
adjective
British English
- There's some leave curry in the fridge.
- The leave luggage was collected.
- The leave-behind report was detailed.
American English
- There's leftover pizza in the fridge.
- The left luggage was claimed.
- The leave-behind materials were helpful.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I leave home at 8 am.
- Please leave the window open.
- They left the party early.
- She left her keys on the kitchen counter.
- What time does the last bus leave?
- The incident left a deep impression on me.
- The evidence leaves no doubt about his guilt.
- He was left to fend for himself.
- The agreement leaves room for further negotiation.
- Her remarks left him utterly speechless.
- The scandal left the company's reputation in tatters.
- We must leave no avenue unexplored in our search.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'LEAVE' as needing 'permission to LEAVE' or 'LEAVE it as it is'.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY: 'leaving' a phase of life. CHANGE IS MOTION: 'leaving behind' old habits.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'let' (разрешать). 'Leave' is primarily уходить/оставлять. 'Leave alone' = оставить в покое, not просто 'оставить'. 'Leave for' (destination) vs 'leave' (depart from).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I left from the house.' Correct: 'I left the house.'
- Incorrect: 'He left to go to London.' (redundant) Correct: 'He left for London.'
- Confusion with 'live' (/lɪv/ vs /liːv/).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'This leaves me with a difficult choice', what does 'leaves' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Leave' primarily means to go away or allow to remain. 'Let' means to allow or permit someone to do something (e.g., 'Let me go' vs 'Leave me alone').
It is irregular: leave - left - left.
Yes, intransitively: 'She left at dawn.' It can also be transitive: 'She left a note.'
As a noun, it means permission or authorized time off (e.g., 'parental leave', 'by your leave').
Collections
Part of a collection
Daily Routine
A1 · 50 words · Words for describing your everyday activities and schedule.
Daily Verbs
A1 · 50 words · Essential action words used in everyday conversation.