leave

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++leave1 /liːv/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense and past participle left /left/)  1  go away 离开 [intransitive, transitive]LEAVE A PLACE to go away from a place or a person 出发；离开 My baby gets upset when I leave the room. 我一离开房间宝宝就会不安。 Before leaving the train, make sure you have all your belongings with you. 下火车前一定要带好随身物品。 Leave the motorway at Junction 7. 请在七号交叉路口驶离高速公路。leave at The plane leaves at 12.30. 飞机于12点30分起飞。leave for I tried calling him, but he’d already left for work. 我试着打电话给他，可他已经去上班了。leave (something/somebody) soon/now/later etc If he left immediately, he’d catch the 7.30 train. 他要是马上出发，就能赶上7点30分的火车。leave (something/somebody) to do something Frances left work early to meet her mother. 弗朗西丝提前下班去接她母亲。leave somebody doing something Never leave children playing near water unattended. 千万不能让儿童在水边独自玩耍。leave somebody to something I’ll leave you to it (=go away and let you continue with what you are doing). 这事我就留给你做了。 My youngest boy has not left my side (=has stayed near me) since his daddy was killed. 我最小的儿子自从他爸爸死后就没有离开过我的身边。leave somebody in peace (=go away from someone so that they can think, work etc alone) 让某人清静，不打扰某人 Just a few more questions, then we’ll leave you in peace. 再问几个问题我们就不打扰你了。2  stop 停止 [intransitive, transitive] if you leave your job, home, school etc, you permanently stop doing that job, living at home etc 离职；离开〔家、学校等〕 Over the past two years, 20 staffers have left. 在过去两年里，有20名员工离职。leave home/school/college etc How old were you when you left home (=your parents’ home)? 你是多大的时候从家里搬出来的？ My daughter got a job after she left school. 我女儿毕业后找了一份工作。 The lawsuit will be postponed until the president leaves office. 这场诉讼要推迟到总统离任以后。leave a job/country/Spain etc Many missionaries were forced to leave the country. 许多传教士被迫离开这个国家。 It seems that Tony has left the band for good (=permanently). 看来托尼是永远离开这个乐队了。leave (somebody/something) to do something Laura left her native England to live in France. 劳拉离开她的家乡英格兰，移居法国了。3  leave somebody/something alone a) INTERFEREto stop annoying or upsetting someone 不去打扰某人，让某人独自待着 Oh, just leave me alone, will you? 噢，你就别来烦我了好不好？ Leave the boy alone, he can make up his own mind. 不要去打扰这孩子，他会自己作决定的。 b) to go away from someone so that they are on their own 留下某人独自一人 Six-year-old Gemma had been left alone in the house. 六岁的杰玛被单独留在了屋子里。 c) to stop touching something 不碰某物 Leave that alone. You’ll break it. 别碰，你会把它打碎的。 d) (also leave well (enough) alone) to stop being involved in or trying to change a situation 不管，不过问 Why can’t they just leave well alone and let us concentrate on teaching? 他们为什么就不能不再插手，让我们专心教课呢？4  let STH/SB stay 让某物/某人留在某处 [transitive always + adverb/preposition]REMAIN/BE LEFT to make or allow something or someone to stay in a place when you go away 把〔某物或某人〕留在某处leave something/somebody in/with/behind etc Are you leaving the kids with Grandma on Saturday? 你打算星期六把孩子们留在奶奶那里吗？ As soon as I’d shut the door, I realized I’d left the keys inside. 我刚关上门，就想起钥匙留在里面了。 Did anybody leave a jacket behind last night? 昨天晚上有哪位忘记拿夹克衫了吗？ She left her son in the care of a friend. 她把儿子留给一个朋友照顾。leave somebody to do something He left Ruth to find her own way home. 他让露丝自己回家去。 Students were left to their own devices (=left alone and allowed to do whatever they wanted) for long periods. 学生们有很长时间没人管，想干什么就干什么。leave somebody for dead The girl had been attacked and left for dead. 那女孩遭到袭击，袭击者认为女孩已死，逃离了现场。5  not change/move STH 不改变/不移动某物 [transitive]ARRANGE A GROUP OF THINGS OR PEOPLE to let something remain in a particular state, position, or condition 使保持〔某种状态或在某个位置〕leave something on/off/out etc You’ve left your lights on. 你忘了关灯。 She must have left the phone off the hook. 她一定是没挂好电话。leave something open/empty/untidy etc I wish you’d stop leaving the door open. 我希望你别老开着门。 The trial left many questions unanswered. 这次试验留下了许多未解决的问题。leave a space/gap etc Leave the next two lines blank for the tutor’s comments. 下面两行空出来让老师写评语。 Drivers should always leave room for cyclists. 驾驶员应该始终给骑车人留出地方。leave something doing something I’ll just leave the engine running while I go in. 我进去时不会关闭引擎。 Don’t leave tools lying about. 工具不要到处乱放。leave something to do something Leave the pots to soak overnight. 把锅泡一个晚上。6  result of accident/illness/event 事故/疾病/事件的后果 [transitive]CAUSE if an event, accident, illness etc leaves you in a particular condition, you are in that condition because of it 造成，使留下〔某种后果〕 An explosion at a chemical plant has left one worker dead and four injured. 一家化工厂爆炸造成一名工人死亡，四人受伤。leave somebody with something Although the infection cleared up, he was left with a persistent cough. 尽管感染治愈了，可是给他留下了一直咳嗽的毛病。leave somebody doing something The incident left her feeling confused and hurt. 这件事让她感到困惑和受伤。 The announcement has left shareholders nursing huge losses. 这则公告令股民蒙受巨大损失。7  be left  (also have something left)REMAIN/BE LEFT if something is left, it remains after everything else has gone, been taken away, or used 剩下，剩余；留下来 I’ve only got a few dollars left. 我身上只剩几美元了。 There were a couple of seats left at the back. 后面还剩几个位子。 We don’t have much time left. 我们没有多少时间了。 He pointed to what was left of the house (=used when very little is left). 他指着房子的残骸。 All that was left was a pile of bones. 剩下的只是一堆骨头。be left over After we’ve paid the bills, there’s never much left over. 我们付完账单总是所剩无几。 They ate some bread rolls left over from the night before. 他们吃了前一天晚上剩下的几个小圆面包。8  letter/message/thing 信件/口信/东西 [transitive]PUT to deliver a message, note, package etc for someone or put it somewhere so that they will get it later 〔给某人〕留下〔口信、便条、包裹等〕 She left a message on his answerphone. 她在他的电话答录机上留了言。leave somebody something Can you leave me some money for the bus? 你能给我留点钱乘公共汽车吗？leave something with somebody Ian left this note with me. 伊恩留了这张字条给我。leave something for somebody A guy left these flowers for you. 这些花是一个男的留下给你的。9  delay 推迟 [transitive]NOT DO something to not do something or to do it later than you intended 留下〔不做〕 Leave the dishes. I’ll do them later. 碟子放着吧，过会儿我来洗。 So much had been left undone. 有这么多事情还没做。leave something until the last minute/until last If you leave your preparation until the last minute, you’ll reduce your chances of passing. 如果你到最后一刻才去准备，合格的可能性就减少了。 I left the best bit until last. 我把最好的留到最后。 I want to think about it. Can I leave it for now? 我想考虑考虑，可以暂时留着吗？ I’m afraid you’ve left it too late to change your ticket. 恐怕你到现在来换票太晚了。leave it at that (=used to say that you will not do any more of something, because you have done enough) 到此为止 Let’s leave it at that for today. 我们今天就到此为止吧。10  let SB decide/be responsible 让某人决定/负责 [transitive]RESPONSIBLE to let someone else decide something or be responsible for something 把…留交〔某人决定或负责〕；委托；交由leave something to somebody Leave it to me. I’ll make sure it gets posted. 把它交给我吧，我保证把它寄出去。 The choice of specialist subject is left entirely to the students. 专业课的选择完全由学生自己做主。leave it (up) to somebody to do something I’ll leave it up to you to decide. 我把这件事交给你决定。 She leaves it to the reader to draw their own conclusions. 她让读者自己去下结论。leave doing something to somebody Is it okay if I leave writing the results to you? 我让你来写结果行吗？leave something with somebody Leave it with me, I’ll fix it for you. 把它交给我吧，我会帮你修好的。 He’s not the sort to leave things to chance (=take no action and just wait to see what happens). 他不是那种心存侥幸的人。leave somebody with no choice/option (=force someone to take a particular action) 让某人别无选择 You leave me with no choice but to fire you. 你让我别无选择，只有辞退你。leave somebody to do something British English Clive moved to London, leaving Edward to run the Manchester office. 克莱夫搬到伦敦去了，曼彻斯特办事处就交给爱德华来管。11  husband/wife etc 丈夫/妻子等 [intransitive, transitive] to stop living with or having a relationship with your husband, partner etc 离开〔丈夫、伴侣等〕 Martha was always threatening to leave, but I never believed her. 玛莎动不动就威胁要走，但我从来都不相信。leave somebody for somebody Mr Rushworth left his partner of 10 years for a younger woman. 拉什沃思先生离开她，找了一个更年轻的女人。12  when you die 临死 [transitive] a) to arrange for someone to receive your money, property etc after you die 遗赠；遗留 SYN bequeath Aunt Alice died, leaving almost $5 million. 艾丽斯姑妈死了，留下近五百万美元。leave somebody something Hugo left me his mother’s ring. 雨果把他母亲的戒指留给了我。 In his will, he had left all his children a small sum of money. 他在遗嘱中给每个孩子留了一小笔钱。leave something to somebody/something Have you thought of leaving a gift to charity after you die? 你有没有想过死后给慈善机构捐赠一笔钱？ b) leave a wife/children etc used when someone dies before their wife, children etc 遗下妻子/儿女等 PC Davis leaves a wife and three small children. 警员戴维斯死后撇下了妻子和三个年幼的孩子。► see thesaurus at give13  mark 记号 [transitive] to make a mark that remains afterwards 留下〔痕迹等〕leave a mark/stain/scar etc The wine had left a permanent mark on the tablecloth. 葡萄酒在台布上留下了洗不掉的痕迹。 He staggered to the door, leaving a trail of blood. 他踉踉跄跄地走向门口，留下一行血迹。 Make sure that you don’t leave any footprints. 千万不能留下脚印。14  not eat/drink 不吃/不喝 [transitive]EATDRINK if you leave food or drink that you have been given, you do not eat or drink it 剩下〔食物或饮料〕 ‘I’m really hungry now.’ ‘That’s because you left half your lunch.’ “我现在饿坏了。” “那是因为你午饭剩下一半没吃。” He rose from the table, leaving his brandy untouched. 他从餐桌旁站起来，白兰地一口也没喝。15  leave somebody/something standing  (also leave somebody/something in the dust American English) informalBETTERFAST/QUICK to be much better, quicker, more successful etc than someone or something else 远远胜过某人/某物，让某人/某物望尘莫及 In terms of fitness, he discovered that Kate left him standing. 从健康这方面来说，他发现凯特令他望尘莫及。16  leave a lot/something/much to be desired GOOD ENOUGHto be very unsatisfactory 还有许多需要改进的地方 Inspectors say health and safety procedures at the factory leave a lot to be desired. 稽查员说工厂的卫生和安全措施还有许多需要改进的地方。17  mathematics 数学 [transitive] in a sum, to have a particular amount remaining 剩下，余 Three from seven leaves four. 七减三余四。18  leave something aside/to one side IGNOREto not think about or consider one part of something for a time, so that you can consider another part of it 把某事暂时搁在一边，暂时不考虑某事 Leaving aside for a moment the question of expense, what would your view be of the suggested changes? 暂时不说费用的问题，你对修改建议有什么看法？19. leave somebody/something be old-fashioned to not upset, speak to, or annoy someone or to not touch something 不去打扰某人，不去管某人；不去动某物20. leave go/hold of something British English spoken informalHOLD to stop holding something 放开某物；放掉某物21  leave it to somebody (to do something) American English spoken informal used to say that no one should be surprised that someone does something, because it is typical or expected of them 当然是某人(做某事) Leave it to you to have the whole day planned out! 当然是你来安排这一整天的事！22. Elvis/somebody/something has left the building especially American English informal used humorously to emphasize that something is definitely over or that someone has gone and will not return 某人已经一去不复返；某事已经彻底结束〔幽默用法〕23 leave somebody/something ↔ behind phrasal verb a) FORGETto not take someone or something with you when you leave a place 忘记带走，留下 I think I might have left my wallet behind. 我想我可能把皮夹子忘在哪儿了。 He departed for Washington, leaving the children behind with their mother. 他动身前往华盛顿，把几个孩子留给了他们的母亲。b) PROGRESSif a person, country, or organization is left behind, they do not develop as quickly or make as much progress as other people, countries etc 落后 In class, a child with poor eyesight can soon get left behind. 在课堂上，视力不好的孩子很快就会落在别人的后面。 a fear of being left behind by better-organized rivals 对落后于组织更有序的竞争对手的担心c) (also leave somebody/something behind you)STAY/NOT LEAVE to permanently stop being involved with a person, place, or situation 〔永久地〕离开，中断与…的联系 It’s time to leave the past behind. 是时候该告别过去了。 Although Armstrong overcame the circumstances of his birth, he never really left New Orleans behind. 阿姆斯特朗虽然摆脱了他出生时的境遇，但他从没有真正割断与新奥尔良的联系。d) (also leave somebody/something behind you)FAST/QUICK to move away from someone or something 将…抛在后面 They had left the city behind and were heading into open country. 他们离开城市，奔向广阔的乡村。 Sarah, with her long legs, soon left the rest of us far behind. 萨拉腿长，很快就把我们其他人远远地抛在了后面。e) (also leave something behind you) to produce a thing or situation that remains after you have gone 遗留，留下 He drove off, leaving behind him a trail of blue smoke. 他开车走了，身后留下一股青烟。 the mess the previous government left behind 上届政府留下的烂摊子24 leave off phrasal verb a) STOP DOING somethingto stop doing something 停止take up/pick up/continue (something) etc where somebody left off (=continue something that has stopped for a short time) 从某人停下来的地方开始 Barry took up the story where Justine had left off. 巴里从贾斯廷停下的地方接着把故事讲下去。leave off doing something British English informal ‘Will you leave off nagging?’ he snarled. “你别唠叨了好不好？” 他咆哮道。b) leave somebody/something off (something) to not include something such as someone’s name in a list or other document 没有把某人/某物包括进(某物)，不把某人/某物列入(某物) Why was her name left off the list? 名单上为什么漏了她的名字？25 leave somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb a) INCLUDEto not include someone or something 遗漏，不包括 She outlined the case to him, being careful not to leave anything out. 她向他概述了情况，注意不遗漏任何一件事情。leave somebody/something out of something Kidd has been left out of the team. 基德未能入选球队。b) be/feel left outREJECT/NOT ACCEPT to feel that you are not accepted or welcome in a situation 被忽视[冷落]/觉得被忽视[冷落] New fathers often feel left out when baby arrives. 有了小宝宝以后，初为人父者往往有一种被冷落的感觉。c) leave it out! British English spokenBELIEVE used to tell someone to stop lying, pretending, or being annoying 得啦！ 算啦！〔用于叫某人不要撒谎、假装、烦人等〕 → somebody can take it or leave it at take1(21), → be left holding the baby/bag at hold1(26)n THESAURUSto leave a placeleaveJust as I was leaving the house, the phone rang.We left early to avoid the traffic.go especially spoken to leave somewhereCome on, boys, it’s time to go.When does the next bus go?set off especially British English to leave somewhere and begin a journeyThe following day we set off for Vienna.take off if a plane takes off, it leaves the ground at the beginning of a flightOur plane took off late because of the fog.emigrate to leave your own country in order to live permanently in another countryIn 2002, his family emigrated to New Zealand.depart formal to leave – used especially about trains, buses, planes etcCoaches depart for the airport every 30 minutes.to leave school/college etcleave especially British English to finish studying at school or college, usually at the age or time when people normally finishWhen James left school, he worked for a while with his father.She found it hard to get a job after leaving university.graduate to successfully finish your studies at a college or university, or at an American high schoolKelly graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies.Approximately 80% of Americans graduate from high school.drop out to leave school, college, or university before your course of study has finished, because you do not want to continue with itI failed my first year exams and decided to drop out and get a job.quit American English to leave school without finishing your course of studyHe quit school at fourteen to work and help support his family.leave your jobleaveI left my last job because the salary was so low.Why don’t you just leave?quit to leave your job permanently because you are not happy with itAfter enduring months of harassment, Mrs Collins decided to quit her job.I’ve told them I’m quitting.resign to officially announce that you have decided to leave your jobThe company director was forced to resign over the scandal.hand in your notice/resignation to write an official letter to your employer saying that you are going to leave your job on a particular dateYou have to hand in your notice at least four weeks before you leave.retire to leave your job in order to stop working permanently, usually because you have reached the age when most people stop workingAfter forty years of working for the bank, Karl retired in May.He had to retire because of ill health.→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

leave• He left £1000 to each of the nurses who had looked after him.• I hated school and couldn't wait to leave.• Church officials are concerned about all the people who have left.• Collins leaves a wife and three children.• Small wonder, then, that heart disease kills a quarter of us and leaves another third chronically disabled.• Brian's parents talked him out of leaving college.• I have to leave early tomorrow morning to fly to Detroit.• Always leave enough fuel for the next person to build a fire with.• What legacy are we leaving for future generations?• I'm leaving for Paris on Tuesday.• He offered me four grand, all he had left from the game, and I took it.• Coaches leave from Victoria every hour.• I'm surprised that Kent left her.• He left his hometown when he was 16, and he hasn't been back there since.• I left home when I was 14.• Her plane leaves Hong Kong at 10.00.• I can't find my coat - I must have left it at work.• "Where's Marcia?" "Oh, she left last week to have her baby."• It leaves less to the discretion of the court and has decided on a maximum sentence of just five years.• It seemed unbelievable that they would stand aside and let them leave like this.• It had not left much time to arrange for a reception committee.• I'm sure I left my bag somewhere around here.• I was glad we had not gone away as my uncles had and left Omite alone.• Cut the fillets into serving pieces but leave steaks whole.• Hand back the identity card when you leave the building.• After 30 years, Paige is leaving the company.• Chamberlain was a Cabinet Minister until he left the Liberal party in 1886.• After leaving the Navy, he started a new career in journalism.leave for• We're leaving for Tokyo next week.leave home/school/college etc• And all this meant that I couldn't wait to leave home.• At the time of the research, children could generally find employment in the area without leaving home.• Her father gave up shooting quite suddenly, after Frank left home.• Senior power forward Tony Moore became academically ineligible, then left school.• Some police agencies lock anklets on criminal suspects, convicts and parolees that set off an alarm if the person leaves home.• What is done here with and for high school students will make a difference in who they are when they leave school.• Ever since leaving college, Susan has lived for publishing and worshiped Simon.• Before you leave school to go on Work Experience you will be told which teacher to contact if you have any problems.left ... in the care of• I left her in the care of Nettie and Inge.• I could not stay, but left her in the care of the doctor and several nurses, and returned to London.leave a space/gap etc• That means you have to leave space.• It is important to leave a gap between the water surface and the drip tray to allow this.• It's hard to see how to begin with enough reality to generate action while leaving space for genuine doubt.• Of course the importance of a high quality of case recording is clearly recognised but a rushed volunteer might leave gaps in case recording.• At the time Cook was concentrating on smaller, more select parties which left a gap in the market for larger tours.• Since most tables are also used for dumping, leave space so that the arrangements aren't continually being disturbed.• It could not properly be interpreted as leaving a gap where that unusual situation arose.• Any of the text can be changed, but don't forget to leave spaces wherever they will be needed.leave somebody something• If I'm not home, you can leave me a message.• Uncle Gene left us his house.• Why didn't you leave me any bread?left undone• But this justifiable pleasure does not disguise the fact that much was left undone.• Now knights no longer come everyday, and the good deeds are left undone.• Our coverage begins with the biggest thing he did, then turns to the biggest thing he left undone.• Somebody is always dissatisfied or something is always left undone.• They remain friends, though she is quick to be petulant over telephone messages left unanswered and favours left undone.• Nothing is left undone, nothing left to chance.• These criticisms, which focus on what has been left undone rather than on what has been done, are inevitably inconclusive.• We have left undone those things which we ought to have done.leave something to somebody• I've always left financial decisions to my wife.leave somebody for somebody• Jan's husband left her for another woman.leave a mark/stain/scar etc• A new way of helping students leave a mark.• For the first time since I had to leave home, this is a place that will leave a scar.• The disturbing images, however, have left a mark.• Velvet Pin as little as possible as pins tend to leave marks.• Even the gradual assimilation of his disappointment would leave scars and blights, like a landscape after fire.• And worse, something which will leave a stain on me.• Stagflation and the threat of deeper world recession has left marks upon the consciousness of the workers.leaving ... untouched• He placed his unfinished cigar in the ash tray and rose from the table, leaving his brandy untouched.• Irradiation would make things worse by destroying the warning spoilage bacteria and leaving pathogens untouched.• They zero in on dopamine while leaving other neurotransmitters untouched.• Zali sniffed at the food, looked at me and lay down, leaving it untouched.• Trim any excess fat from the lamb, leaving the skin untouched, and rub the joint with salt and pepper.

Related topics: Conditions of employment

leave2 ●●○ S3 W3 noun  1  holiday 假期 [uncountable]BEC time that you are allowed to spend away from your work, especially in the armed forces 假期，假日；〔尤指军人的〕休假 I’ve applied for three days’ leave. 我已经请了三天假。on leave navy officers home on leave 休假回家的海军军官 Your basic annual leave is 20 days. 你的基本年假是20天。2. maternity/sick/compassionate leave time that you are allowed to spend away from work because you have had a baby, because you are ill, or because of a personal problem such as the death of a relative 产假/病假/慰唁假3  leave of absence BECa period of time that you are allowed to spend away from work for a particular purpose 准假 She’s been given leave of absence to attend a computer course. 她获准休假去参加计算机培训课程。4  permission 许可 [uncountable] formalLET/ALLOW permission to do something 许可，准许 All this was done entirely without my leave. 这些都是在根本没有得到我许可的情况下进行的。leave to do something a petition for leave to appeal to the European court 请求上诉至欧洲法庭的诉状grant/obtain/ask/seek etc leave (to do something) He asked leave to speak to her in private. 他请求允许和她私下里谈。5  without so much as a by your leave old-fashionedRUDE/IMPOLITE without asking permission, in a way that seems very rude 未经许可，擅自 He marched into my office without so much as a by your leave. 他未经许可就大模大样地走进我的办公室。6  take leave of your senses CRAZYto suddenly start behaving in a strange way 发疯 You want to marry him? Have you taken leave of your senses? 你要嫁给他？ 你是不是疯了？7. take leave of somebody/take your leave formalGOODBYE to say goodbye to someone 向某人告别/辞别n COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2ADJECTIVES/NOUN + leave annual leave (=an amount of time that you are allowed away from work for holidays etc)Annual leave is 22 days plus public holidays.maternity leave (=time that a mother is allowed away from work to have and take care of a new baby)Two teachers were off on maternity leave.paternity leave (=time that a father is allowed away from work to take care of a new baby)He got five days’ paternity leave.parental leave (=time that a parent is allowed away from work to take care of a child)Parental leave is often unpaid.sick leave (also medical leave American English) (=time that you are allowed away from work because you are ill)The form must be filled in as soon as you return from sick leave.compassionate leave (=time that you are allowed away from work because someone in your family is very ill or has died)Eileen was given compassionate leave to go to the funeral.paid/unpaid leaveShe took three days unpaid leave in order to help her daughter.home leave (=time that you are allowed to spend at home from a job that is far away, for example in the army, or from prison)Roberts had failed to return from home leave, and there was a warrant out for his arrest.shore leave (=time that a sailor is allowed to spend on land and away from work)Hong Kong was a popular place for shore leave.special leave (=time that you are allowed away from work for a special reason)Some firms grant special leave when you move house.study leave British English (=time that you are allowed away from work because you are taking a course)The company offers study leave for staff development.sabbatical leave (=time that a teacher is allowed away from work to study or travel)Headteachers can take sabbatical leave every five years.indefinite leave (=leave without a time limit)She has gone on indefinite leave, suffering from exhaustion.nounsleave entitlement (=the amount of time that you are allowed to spend away from work on holidays etc)The normal paid leave entitlement is 20 days.verbshave/get leaveHow much annual leave do you get?be entitled to leave (=be allowed to have as leave)After five years, employees are entitled to 25 days’ leave.go on leave (=start your time away from work)I’ll get the report to you before you go on leave.take leave (=use the time you are allowed)I don’t think I’ll be able to take any leave in January because we’re too busy.use (up) leaveI used all my leave in the summertime.give/grant somebody leaveHe was given compassionate leave.cancel somebody’s leave (=stop people taking leave)The Police Department cancelled all leave because of the emergency.

Examples from the Corpus

leave• Phil still has three days' annual leave owing to him.• They're giving me five days' leave.• I get twenty-five days' leave a year.• I had come on leave first, so I was first to return.• They got married while he was on leave from the army.on leave• Carter is in charge of the office while I'm on leave.leave to do something• The manager should discuss the proposals for the coming year's maintenance programme before the allocation of annual leave to nurses.• I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the options for leave to which you may be entitled.• Anyone else must obtain leave to make an application.• Prior to Puhlhofer, failure to obtain leave to proceed by judicial review occurred in less than 10 percent of the applications.• Niall arrived home on leave to find she'd packed her bags and left him a note.• If the original statement requires correction it is presumably necessary to seek leave to amend although the rules are silent on this.• Our friend looked at them, then lifted the leaves to expose a lovely row of radishes we never knew we had!• Drain in a colander, pressing the leaves to extract all the juice.• I have to leave to pick up the kids at school.From Longman Business Dictionaryleaveleave /liːv/ noun [uncountable]HUMAN RESOURCES time that you are allowed to be absent from your workThe company offers attractive benefits, including five weeks’ leave per year.The Los Gatos School District has hired 21 new teachers to replace those who are on leave. → annual leave → compassionate leave → gardening leave → maternity leave → paternity leave → sabbatical leave → sick leave → special leaveOrigin leave1 Old English læfan leave2 Old English læf

leave1 verb →10-25 →20-25
→n THESAURUS1leave2 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese  

Corpus from or a a place go to away person Business

leave

I

leave¹ S1 W1 /liːv/ verb (past tense and past participle left /left/)1.  GO AWAY  [intransitive and transitive] to go away from a place or a person:
    My baby gets upset when I leave the room.
    Before leaving the train, make sure you have all your belongings with you.
    Leave the motorway at Junction 7.
    leave at
    The plane leaves at 12.30.
    leave for
    I tried calling him, but he’d already left for work.
    leave (something/somebody) soon/now/later etc
    If he left immediately, he’d catch the 7.30 train.
    leave (something/somebody) to do something
    Frances left work early to meet her mother.
    leave somebody doing something
    Never leave children playing near water unattended.
    leave somebody to something
    I’ll leave you to it (=go away and let you continue with what you are doing).
    My youngest boy has not left my side (=has stayed near me) since his daddy was killed.
    leave somebody in peace (=go away from someone so that they can think, work etc alone)
    Just a few more questions, then we’ll leave you in peace.
2.  STOP  [intransitive and transitive] if you leave your job, home, school etc, you permanently stop doing that job, living at home etc:
    Over the past two years, 20 staffers have left.
    leave home/school/college etc
    How old were you when you left home (=your parents’ home)?
    My daughter got a job after she left school.
    The lawsuit will be postponed until the president leaves office.
    leave a job/country/Spain etc
    Many missionaries were forced to leave the country.
    It seems that Tony has left the band for good (=permanently).
    leave (somebody/something) to do something
    Laura left her native England to live in France.
3. leave somebody/something alone
  a. to stop annoying or upsetting someone:
    Oh, just leave me alone, will you?
    Leave the boy alone, he can make up his own mind.
  b. to go away from someone so that they are on their own:
    Six-year-old Gemma had been left alone in the house.
  c. to stop touching something:
    Leave that alone. You’ll break it.
  d. (also leave well (enough) alone) to stop being involved in or trying to change a situation:
    Why can’t they just leave well alone and let us concentrate on teaching?
4.  LET SOMETHING/SOMEBODY STAY  [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to make or allow something or someone to stay in a place when you go away
    leave something/somebody in/with/behind etc
    Are you leaving the kids with Grandma on Saturday?
    As soon as I’d shut the door, I realized I’d left the keys inside.
    Did anybody leave a jacket behind last night?
    She left her son in the care of a friend.
    leave somebody to do something
    He left Ruth to find her own way home.
    Students were left to their own devices (=left alone and allowed to do whatever they wanted) for long periods.
    leave somebody for dead
    The girl had been attacked and left for dead.
5.  NOT CHANGE/MOVE SOMETHING  [transitive] to let something remain in a particular state, position, or condition
    leave something on/off/out etc
    You’ve left your lights on.
    She must have left the phone off the hook.
    leave something open/empty/untidy etc
    I wish you’d stop leaving the door open.
    The trial left many questions unanswered.
    leave a space/gap etc
    Leave the next two lines blank for the tutor’s comments.
    Drivers should always leave room for cyclists.
    leave something doing something
    I’ll just leave the engine running while I go in.
    Don’t leave tools lying about.
    leave something to do something
    Leave the pots to soak overnight.
6.  RESULT OF ACCIDENT/ILLNESS/EVENT  [transitive] if an event, accident, illness etc leaves you in a particular condition, you are in that condition because of it:
    An explosion at a chemical plant has left one worker dead and four injured.
    leave somebody with something
    Although the infection cleared up, he was left with a persistent cough.
    leave somebody doing something
    The incident left her feeling confused and hurt.
    The announcement has left shareholders nursing huge losses.
7. be left (also have something left) if something is left, it remains after everything else has gone, been taken away, or used:
    I’ve only got a few dollars left.
    There were a couple of seats left at the back.
    We don’t have much time left.
    He pointed to what was left of the house (=used when very little is left).
    All that was left was a pile of bones.
    be left over
    After we’ve paid the bills, there’s never much left over.
    They ate some bread rolls left over from the night before.
8.  LETTER/MESSAGE/THING  [transitive] to deliver a message, note, package etc for someone or put it somewhere so that they will get it later:
    She left a message on his answerphone.
    leave somebody something
    Can you leave me some money for the bus?
    leave something with somebody
    Ian left this note with me.
    leave something for somebody
    A guy left these flowers for you.
9.  DELAY  [transitive] to not do something or to do it later than you intended:
    Leave the dishes. I’ll do them later.
    So much had been left undone.
    leave something until the last minute/until last
    If you leave your preparation until the last minute, you’ll reduce your chances of passing.
    I left the best bit until last.
    I want to think about it. Can I leave it for now?
    I’m afraid you’ve left it too late to change your ticket.
    leave it at that (=used to say that you will not do any more of something, because you have done enough)
    Let’s leave it at that for today.
10.  LET SOMEBODY DECIDE/BE RESPONSIBLE  [transitive] to let someone else decide something or be responsible for something
    leave something to somebody
    Leave it to me. I’ll make sure it gets posted.
    The choice of specialist subject is left entirely to the students.
    leave it (up) to somebody to do something
    I’ll leave it up to you to decide.
    She leaves it to the reader to draw their own conclusions.
    leave doing something to somebody
    Is it okay if I leave writing the results to you?
    leave something with somebody
    Leave it with me, I’ll fix it for you.
    He’s not the sort to leave things to chance (=take no action and just wait to see what happens).
    leave somebody with no choice/option (=force someone to take a particular action)
    You leave me with no choice but to fire you.
    leave somebody to do something British English:
    Clive moved to London, leaving Edward to run the Manchester office.
11.  HUSBAND/WIFE ETC  [intransitive and transitive] to stop living with or having a relationship with your husband, partner etc:
    Martha was always threatening to leave, but I never believed her.
    leave somebody for somebody
    Mr Rushworth left his partner of 10 years for a younger woman.
12.  WHEN YOU DIE  [transitive]
  a. to arrange for someone to receive your money, property etc after you die
   SYN  bequeath:
    Aunt Alice died, leaving almost $5 million.
    leave somebody something
    Hugo left me his mother’s ring.
    In his will, he had left all his children a small sum of money.
    leave something to somebody/something
    Have you thought of leaving a gift to charity after you die?
  b. leave a wife/children etc used when someone dies before their wife, children etc:
    PC Davis leaves a wife and three small children.
13.  MARK  [transitive] to make a mark that remains afterwards
    leave a mark/stain/scar etc
    The wine had left a permanent mark on the tablecloth.
    He staggered to the door, leaving a trail of blood.
    Make sure that you don’t leave any footprints.
14.  NOT EAT/DRINK  [transitive] if you leave food or drink that you have been given, you do not eat or drink it:
    ‘I’m really hungry now.’ ‘That’s because you left half your lunch.’
    He rose from the table, leaving his brandy untouched.
15. leave somebody/something standing (also leave somebody/something in the dust American English) informal to be much better, quicker, more successful etc than someone or something else:
    In terms of fitness, he discovered that Kate left him standing.
16. leave a lot/something/much to be desired to be very unsatisfactory:
    Inspectors say health and safety procedures at the factory leave a lot to be desired.
17.  MATHEMATICS  [transitive] in a sum, to have a particular amount remaining:
    Three from seven leaves four.
18. leave something aside/to one side to not think about or consider one part of something for a time, so that you can consider another part of it:
    Leaving aside for a moment the question of expense, what would your view be of the suggested changes?
19. leave somebody/something be old-fashioned to not upset, speak to, or annoy someone or to not touch something
20. leave go/hold of something British English spoken informal to stop holding something
21. leave it to somebody (to do something) American English spoken informal used to say that no one should be surprised that someone does something, because it is typical or expected of them:
    Leave it to you to have the whole day planned out__
22. Elvis/somebody/something has left the building especially American English informal used humorously to emphasize that something is definitely over or that someone has gone and will not return
⇨ somebody can take it or leave it at take¹(21), ⇨ be left holding the baby/bag at hold¹(26)
     

THESAURUS

■ to leave a place
   ▪ leave: Just as I was leaving the house, the phone rang. | We left early to avoid the traffic.
   ▪ go especially spoken to leave somewhere: Come on, boys, it’s time to go. | When does the next bus go?
   ▪ set off especially British English to leave somewhere and begin a journey: The following day we set off for Vienna.
   ▪ take off if a plane takes off, it leaves the ground at the beginning of a flight: Our plane took off late because of the fog.
   ▪ emigrate to leave your own country in order to live permanently in another country: In 2002, his family emigrated to New Zealand.
   ▪ depart formal to leave – used especially about trains, buses, planes etc: Coaches depart for the airport every 30 minutes.
■ to leave school/college etc
   ▪ leave especially British English to finish studying at school or college, usually at the age or time when people normally finish: When James left school, he worked for a while with his father. | She found it hard to get a job after leaving university.
   ▪ graduate to successfully finish your studies at a college or university, or at an American high school: Kelly graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies. | Approximately 80% of Americans graduate from high school.
   ▪ drop out to leave school, college, or university before your course of study has finished, because you do not want to continue with it: I failed my first year exams and decided to drop out and get a job.
   ▪ quit American English to leave school without finishing your course of study: He quit school at fourteen to work and help support his family.
■ leave your job
   ▪ leave: I left my last job because the salary was so low. | Why don’t you just leave?
   ▪ quit to leave your job permanently because you are not happy with it: After enduring months of harassment, Mrs Collins decided to quit her job. | I’ve told them I’m quitting.
   ▪ resign to officially announce that you have decided to leave your job: The company director was forced to resign over the scandal.
   ▪ hand in your notice/resignation to write an official letter to your employer saying that you are going to leave your job on a particular date: You have to hand in your notice at least four weeks before you leave.
   ▪ retire to leave your job in order to stop working permanently, usually because you have reached the age when most people stop working: After forty years of working for the bank, Karl retired in May. | He had to retire because of ill health.
     
leave somebody/something ↔ behind phrasal verb
  1. to not take someone or something with you when you leave a place:
    I think I might have left my wallet behind.
    He departed for Washington, leaving the children behind with their mother.
  2. if a person, country, or organization is left behind, they do not develop as quickly or make as much progress as other people, countries etc:
    In class, a child with poor eyesight can soon get left behind.
    a fear of being left behind by better-organized rivals
  3. (also leave somebody/something behind you) to permanently stop being involved with a person, place or situation:
    It’s time to leave the past behind.
    Although Armstrong overcame the circumstances of his birth, he never really left New Orleans behind.
  4. (also leave somebody/something behind you) to move away from someone or something:
    They had left the city behind and were heading into open country.
    Sarah, with her long legs, soon left the rest of us far behind.
  5. (also leave something behind you) to produce a thing or situation that remains after you have gone:
    He drove off, leaving behind him a trail of blue smoke.
    the mess the previous government left behind
leave off phrasal verb
  1. to stop doing something
    take up/pick up/continue (something) etc where somebody left off (=continue something that has stopped for a short time)
    Barry took up the story where Justine had left off.
    leave off doing something British English informal:
    ‘Will you leave off nagging?’ he snarled.
  2. leave somebody/something off (something) to not include something such as someone’s name in a list or other document:
    Why was her name left off the list?
leave somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb
  1. to not include someone or something:
    She outlined the case to him, being careful not to leave anything out.
    leave somebody/something out of something
    Kidd has been left out of the team.
  2. be/feel left out to feel that you are not accepted or welcome in a situation:
    New fathers often feel left out when baby arrives.
  3. leave it out__ British English spoken used to tell someone to stop lying, pretending, or being annoying

II

leave² S3 W2 noun1.  HOLIDAY  [uncountable] time that you are allowed to spend away from your work, especially in the armed forces:
    I’ve applied for three days’ leave.
    on leave
    navy officers home on leave
    Your basic annual leave is 20 days.
2. maternity/sick/compassionate leave time that you are allowed to spend away from work because you have had a baby, because you are ill, or because of a personal problem such as the death of a relative
3. leave of absence a period of time that you are allowed to spend away from work for a particular purpose:
    She’s been given leave of absence to attend a computer course.
4.  PERMISSION  [uncountable] formal permission to do something:
    All this was done entirely without my leave.
    leave to do something
    a petition for leave to appeal to the European court
    grant/obtain/ask/seek etc leave (to do something)
    He asked leave to speak to her in private.
5. without so much as a by your leave old-fashioned without asking permission, in a way that seems very rude:
    He marched into my office without so much as a by your leave.
6. take leave of your senses to suddenly start behaving in a strange way:
    You want to marry him? Have you taken leave of your senses?
7. take leave of somebody/take your leave formal to say goodbye to someone
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meanings 1 & 2)

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + leave
   ▪ annual leave (=an amount of time that you are allowed away from work for holidays etc) Annual leave is 22 days plus public holidays.
   ▪ maternity leave (=time that a mother is allowed away from work to have and take care of a new baby) Two teachers were off on maternity leave.
   ▪ paternity leave (=time that a father is allowed away from work to take care of a new baby) He got five days’ paternity leave.
   ▪ parental leave (=time that a parent is allowed away from work to take care of a child) Parental leave is often unpaid.
   ▪ sick leave (also medical leave American English) (=time that you are allowed away from work because you are ill) The form must be filled in as soon as you return from sick leave.
   ▪ compassionate leave (=time that you are allowed away from work because someone in your family is very ill or has died) Eileen was given compassionate leave to go to the funeral.
   ▪ paid/unpaid leave She took three days unpaid leave in order to help her daughter.
   ▪ home leave (=time that you are allowed to spend at home from a job that is far away, for example in the army, or from prison) Roberts had failed to return from home leave, and there was a warrant out for his arrest.
   ▪ shore leave (=time that a sailor is allowed to spend on land and away from work) Hong Kong was a popular place for shore leave.
   ▪ special leave (=time that you are allowed away from work for a special reason) Some firms grant special leave when you move house.
   ▪ study leave British English (=time that you are allowed away from work because you are taking a course) The company offers study leave for staff development.
   ▪ sabbatical leave (=time that a teacher is allowed away from work to study or travel) Headteachers can take sabbatical leave every five years.
   ▪ indefinite leave (=leave without a time limit) She has gone on indefinite leave, suffering from exhaustion.
■ nouns
   ▪ leave entitlement (=the amount of time that you are allowed to spend away from work on holidays etc) The normal paid leave entitlement is 20 days.
■ verbs
   ▪ have/get leave How much annual leave do you get?
   ▪ be entitled to leave (=be allowed to have as leave) After five years, employees are entitled to 25 days’ leave.
   ▪ go on leave (=start your time away from work) I’ll get the report to you before you go on leave.
   ▪ take leave (=use the time you are allowed) I don’t think I’ll be able to take any leave in January because we’re too busy.
   ▪ use (up) leave I used all my leave in the summertime.
   ▪ give/grant somebody leave He was given compassionate leave.
   ▪ cancel sb’s leave (=stop people taking leave) The Police Department cancelled all leave because of the emergency.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ vacation especially American English, holiday especially British English time you spend away from school or work: Are you taking a vacation this summer? | We met on holiday in Cyprus. | What are you doing in the school holidays?
   ▪ holiday a day that is set by law, when no one has to go to work or school: the Thanksgiving holiday | New Year's Day is a national holiday. | In 2002, there was an extra public holiday to mark the Queen's golden jubilee. | the August bank holiday (=day when all the banks and shops are closed – used in British English)
   ▪ break a time when you stop working or studying in order to rest, or a short vacation from school: a ten-minute coffee break | Lots of college kids come to the beaches during the spring break.
   ▪ leave a time when you are allowed not to work: We get four weeks' annual leave (=paid time off work each year). | He has been taking a lot of sick leave (=time off work because you are ill) recently. | Angela is on maternity leave (= time off work when having a baby). | He was given compassionate leave (=time off work because someone close to you has died, is very ill etc) to go to his father's funeral.
   ▪ sabbatical [usually singular] a period when someone, especially a teacher, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel: She was on sabbatical for six months. | I'm thinking of taking a sabbatical.
   ▪ furlough a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country as a holiday: While on furlough, he and his girlfriend got married.
   ▪ R & R (rest and relaxation) a holiday, especially one given to people in the army, navy etc after a long period of hard work or during a war: Soldiers in Vietnam were taken to Hawaii for R & R.