leaving

Variant of leave

transitive verb left, leaving

  1. to cause or allow to remain; not take away: to leave some of the food for latecomers
  2. to make, place, deposit, etc., and cause to remain behind one: to leave one's calling card
  3. to have remaining after one: the deceased leaves a widow
  4. to bequeath: to leave a fortune to charity
  5. to let be in the care of; entrust: with to or up to: to leave a decision to another
  6. to give as a remainder by subtraction: ten minus two leaves eight
  7. to reject: take it or leave it
  8. to go away from: to leave the house
  9. to let stay or cause to be in a certain condition: the flood left them homeless
  10. to give up; abandon; forsake
  11. to stop living in, working for, or belonging to
  12. Chiefly Dial. to let or allow: leave us go now

Origin: ME leven < OE læfan, lit., to let remain (< *lafjan < base of laf, remnant, what remains), akin to (be)lifan, to remain, Ger bleiben, OHG belīban < IE *leip-, to smear with grease, stick to < base *lei-, viscous, sticky > L limus: see lime

intransitive verb

to go away, depart, or set out

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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