leave
/liːv/ (bre, ipa) · /liːv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlēv/ (ame, mw)
leave — verb
- leavepresent simple I / you / we / they
- leaveshe / she / it
- leftpast simple
- leaving-ing form
1. to exit a location or to stop being with someone, going elsewhere
to exit a location or to stop being with someone, going elsewhere
Ritu left the office early to catch her train home.
leave + place (direct object)
The bus leaves the station at six o'clock every morning.
Please leave the room quietly when the meeting ends.
Élise left her hometown to study abroad in Japan.
The family next door left their house and moved to Canada.
文法句型
leave + place/person
leave (no object)
用法筆記
Can be used with or without an object. "I am leaving" (no object) simply means going away, while "Leave the room" (with object) specifies what is being left.
常見錯誤
2. to not carry a person or object with you when departing a location
to not carry a person or object with you when departing a location
Mathieu left his backpack on the bus this morning.
leave + object + [location prepositional phrase]
Yael left the keys on the kitchen table before going out.
Adisa accidentally left his umbrella at the restaurant last night.
Please do not leave your bags in the hallway near the stairs.
Ryo left a note for his roommate on the fridge door.
文法句型
leave + object
leave + object + preposition + place
用法筆記
Often paired with a location phrase (at, in, on, by) or the adverb 'behind' to specify where the object was forgotten or placed.
常見錯誤
3. to produce a result, mark, or condition that continues after the cause has gone
to produce a result, mark, or condition that continues after the cause has gone or stopped
The storm left a trail of broken trees across the small town.
leave + physical trace (direct object)
That spicy curry left a burning taste in my mouth for hours.
The hot iron left a dark scorch mark on the wooden table.
Years of wind and rain left deep cracks in the old stone wall.
文法句型
leave + effect/result as object
用法筆記
Subject is typically an event, action, or natural force (storm, accident, use), not a person deliberately creating an effect.
常見錯誤
4. to let something stay in the same state, position, or condition without touching
to let something stay in the same state, position, or condition without touching or changing it
Cyrus left the cake on the counter for his daughter to find.
Please leave the window open so fresh air comes inside.
leave + object + adjective (open)
The doctor told him to leave the bandage on for two days.
Ritu left the letter exactly where she found it on the desk.
Just leave the dirty dishes in the sink until the morning.
文法句型
leave + object + adjective
leave + object + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Frequently followed by object + adjective (open, closed, alone) or a prepositional phrase describing position. The complement describes the state you want the object to stay in.
常見錯誤
5. to go away while someone or something is still doing an activity
to go away while someone or something is still doing an activity
Amihan left the children playing in the garden while she cooked dinner.
leave + object + verb-ing (present participle)
The night-shift nurse left the patient sleeping quietly in the ward.
Imran left the rice simmering on the stove while he answered the phone.
The teacher left the students working on their final exam papers quietly.
- abandon to
stronger negative connotation; implies neglect
文法句型
leave + object + verb-ing
用法筆記
The verb-ing form after the object describes an ongoing action that continues after the subject has gone. The structure is leave + object + present participle.
常見錯誤
6. to consume only part of something, so that some is still there for later
to consume only part of something, so that some is still there for later
Jack left half of his dinner because his stomach hurt.
leave + [quantity] of + [food]
Théo left some milk in the carton for his younger sister.
Please leave enough cake for your brother who arrives later tonight.
The children left most of their vegetables on the dinner plate uneaten.
Camila left some paint in the can in case she needed more later.
文法句型
leave + quantity + of + noun
用法筆記
Object is typically food, drink, or other consumable resources. The focus is on the deliberate or accidental act of not finishing, not on the portion that remains (which is covered by a different sense).
常見錯誤
7. if people or things are left in a place, they are still there after the others h
if people or things are left in a place, they are still there after the others have moved away or been taken away — for example, a few students left in the classroom after the bell, or dishes left on the table after dinner.
After the fire alarm, only a few people were left inside the building.
passive: be left [in a place] after others go
The old toys were left in the attic when the family moved out.
A single piece of cake was left on the plate after the party.
Dahlia left her umbrella behind when she hurried off the bus.
Not many of the original workers are left at that factory now.
- remain
'Remain' is a verb that does not take a direct object; 'be left' is the passive form of 'leave' and focuses on what stays after removal.
- stay behind
More active and voluntary than 'be left'; implies a choice to not go.
- go
'Go' focuses on departure; 'be left' focuses on what stays.
文法句型
something is left
leave + object
用法筆記
Often used in the passive form 'be left' to describe what remains after a removal process. Distinguish from sense 6, where 'leave' means not eating or using all of something intentionally.
常見錯誤
8. to still possess a certain quantity or number of something after some of it was
to still possess a certain quantity or number of something after some of it was consumed or spent — for example, having ten minutes left before the exam ends, or having some money left after shopping.
We only have twenty minutes left before the train departs.
have + time + left
After paying the bills, Liang had very little money left for food.
There is still some rice left in the pot if you are hungry.
Christopher checked how many pages were left in his notebook.
No seats were left by the time we got to the theatre.
文法句型
have + noun + left
there is/are + noun + left
用法筆記
Almost always used with a quantifier (some, any, no, a few, a little, a number) preceding the noun. The sense requires a remaining count or amount — distinguish from sense 7, which is about things staying in a location rather than amounts remaining after use.
常見錯誤
9. to stop doing an activity, working at a job, or attending a school, usually by m
to stop doing an activity, working at a job, or attending a school, usually by making a decision to quit — for example, leaving a company after many years, or leaving school at the age of sixteen.
Reema left her job at the hospital to travel around Asia.
leave + job — quit employment
Many students leave university early to start their own businesses.
Ziad decided to leave the football team after his injury.
The singer left the band to work on a solo album.
Mayumi left the meeting early because she was feeling unwell.
- quit
More informal and abrupt than 'leave'; implies resignation or giving up.
- resign from
Formal term specifically for jobs or official positions.
- drop out of
Specifically for leaving school or a course before completion; often negative.
文法句型
leave + job/school/activity
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (go away from a place), this sense emphasises leaving an activity, role, or institution — the focus is on ending participation, not physical departure. The object is typically a role (job, school, team, club) rather than a physical place.
常見錯誤
10. to permanently end a romantic or marital relationship with someone by moving awa
to permanently end a romantic or marital relationship with someone by moving away from them or telling them it is over — for example, leaving a husband after years of unhappiness, or a partner leaving because the relationship stopped working.
Hassan left his wife after twenty years of marriage.
leave + spouse — end marriage
Ayana finally found the courage to leave her partner for good.
Noa's parents separated when her father left the family home.
After the difficult conversation, Joaquín decided to leave his girlfriend.
The documentary explored why some people stay in unhappy relationships instead of leaving.
- abandon
Stronger and more negative than 'leave'; implies betrayal or irresponsibility.
- separate from
Less emotionally charged; often used in legal or formal contexts about married couples.
- walk out on
Informal and dramatic; suggests leaving suddenly without warning.
文法句型
leave + partner/spouse
用法筆記
The object must be a person (spouse, partner, fiancé). For ending a non-romantic relationship such as a friendship, 'leave' is less common — use 'stop being friends with' instead. Frequently used in the perfect tense: 'has left her husband.'
常見錯誤
11. to wait before doing something, choosing to do it later instead of now — for exa
to wait before doing something, choosing to do it later instead of now — for example, leaving the washing-up until morning, or leaving a difficult decision for another day.
Amani left answering the email until the next morning.
leave + -ing + until + [time]
Let us leave the heavy bags here and pick them up later.
Christopher left filing his tax return until the very last day.
They left the decision about where to go on holiday until the last minute.
Do not leave locking the front door until you are already in bed.
- do immediately
Antonym as a phrase; 'leave' means to not do something now.
文法句型
leave + doing something
leave + it + until + [time]
leave + noun + for + [time]
用法筆記
Commonly followed by a gerund ('leave doing something') or a noun phrase with 'until'/'for' ('leave it until tomorrow'). Distinguish from sense 14 in chunk b3, where 'leave' means to allow someone else to make a decision — here, the delay is the speaker's own choice, not a delegation to someone else.
常見錯誤
12. if someone who dies leaves a family member, that person is still alive after the
if someone who dies leaves a family member, that person is still alive after the death — for example, an elderly man who leaves a wife and three children when he passes away. Often expressed in the passive: 'is survived by.'
Élise's grandfather left behind a wife, four children, and seven grandchildren.
leave behind — death context
The obituary said that Mr. Chen is survived by his daughter and two sons.
passive: be survived by — formal death notice
When the pilot died in the crash, he left a young family with no savings.
Ayana's grandmother passed away peacefully, leaving three generations of her family.
The soldier left a pregnant wife when he died in the war.
- be survived by
The passive form used in formal obituaries; more precise than 'leave' for this sense.
- leave behind
Slightly more emotional; often used when the death is sudden or tragic.
文法句型
leave + family members
be left by
be survived by
用法筆記
Primarily used in formal writing (obituaries, wills, news reports) or emotional storytelling. Distinguish from sense 13 in chunk b3, where 'leave' means to give property to someone in a will — sense 12 is about family relationships after death, not about belongings or inheritance.
常見錯誤
13. to state in a legal document (a will) that a particular person should receive yo
to state in a legal document (a will) that a particular person should receive your money, property, or possessions after your death
Grandma Rosa left her entire book collection to the local library.
leave + direct object + to + recipient
In his will, Ignacio left each of his grandchildren a small sum of money.
leave + someone + something (double object)
The farmer who owned the valley land left it to the village community.
Hari was surprised to learn that his great-aunt had left him a beautiful antique mirror.
- inherit
reverse direction — the recipient receives; 'I inherited the watch my uncle left me'
文法句型
leave + something + to + someone
leave + someone + something
用法筆記
Frequently used with a to-phrase (leave something to someone) or a double-object structure (leave someone something). The legal context of a will is often implied even when not explicitly stated.
常見錯誤
14. to give someone the authority or responsibility to handle a situation, make a de
to give someone the authority or responsibility to handle a situation, make a decision, or take care of a task or person
Pim left the decision about the wedding date entirely to his fiancée.
leave + decision/choice + to + someone
The project manager left it to her assistant to arrange the team meeting.
leave it to + someone + to-infinitive
When the Watanabe family went abroad, they left their cat in the care of a neighbour.
The choice of restaurant was left to the guests of honour to decide.
- handle oneself
to deal with a matter directly rather than giving it to someone else
- take on
to accept responsibility instead of passing it
文法句型
leave + something + to + someone
leave + someone + with + something
leave + it + to + someone + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Subject can be a person, group, or institution. The object is typically a decision, choice, arrangement, responsibility, or dependent (child, pet), not a simple physical object.
常見錯誤
leave — noun
1. time that you are allowed to spend away from your job, for example because you n
time that you are allowed to spend away from your job, for example because you need a holiday or you are ill
Mizuki has three weeks of annual leave saved up for her trip to Japan.
collocation: annual leave / sick leave / maternity leave
The doctor gave Vikram a note for two days of sick leave.
Teachers at that school get twelve weeks of paid parental leave.
Henrik applied for unpaid leave to care for his elderly mother.
New employees usually do not get holiday leave during their first month.
文法句型
annual leave
sick leave
maternity leave
paid leave
unpaid leave
用法筆記
Often appears with a preceding adjective naming the reason: annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, parental leave. In British English, 'holiday' often replaces 'leave' for vacation time; 'leave' is used mainly for formally tracked categories.
常見錯誤
2. a specific period that your employer or school officially allows you to be away
a specific period that your employer or school officially allows you to be away from work or study for a particular purpose such as training, looking after family members, or personal reasons
Isabela was granted study leave to finish her master's degree.
collocation: study leave / compassionate leave / leave of absence
The company offers paternity leave of up to four weeks.
Hugo took a leave of absence from the university to travel.
Yasmin needed compassionate leave after her grandmother passed away.
- absence
broader; can be unauthorised or unexplained
- sabbatical
specifically a paid break for research or study, usually for academics
- attendance
the state of being present at work or school
文法句型
leave of absence
study leave
compassionate leave
paternity leave
用法筆記
Often appears in the fixed phrase 'leave of absence' or combined with a specific purpose noun (study leave, compassionate leave). Distinguish from sense 1 (TIME OFF WORK), which covers standard holiday and sick time; sense 2 emphasises formal, purpose-specific permission granted by an institution.
常見錯誤
3. formal permission given to someone to do something that would otherwise not be a
formal permission given to someone to do something that would otherwise not be allowed, especially in an official or legal situation
The judge granted Cyrus leave to appeal the court's decision.
formal/legal register: leave to do something
The committee gave Gabriel leave to speak at the hearing.
Tuan asked for leave to submit the report after the deadline.
Without the court's leave, the case cannot move forward.
- permission
more general; suitable for both formal and everyday use
- authorization
similar level of formality; often implies written approval
- consent
focuses on agreement rather than official approval
文法句型
leave to do something
leave of the court
grant leave
ask leave
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in formal or legal contexts, especially in court proceedings. Followed by 'to + infinitive'. In everyday English, 'permission' is the natural choice instead of 'leave'.
常見錯誤
4. the act of saying goodbye and going away from someone, especially in a formal or
the act of saying goodbye and going away from someone, especially in a formal or polite manner
Christopher took his leave of the guests and walked home.
fixed phrase: take your leave / take leave of someone
Élise said goodbye and took her leave before the party ended.
After the formal dinner, the guests took their leave one by one.
Without taking leave of anyone, Sophia slipped out the back door.
文法句型
take leave of someone
take your leave
take leave of your senses
用法筆記
Almost always found in the fixed expressions 'take leave of someone' or 'take your leave'. Rarely used in everyday conversation; 'say goodbye' or 'leave' are more natural alternatives. The idiom 'take leave of your senses' (to start behaving irrationally) is a separate, unrelated expression.