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leave

leave

61 4.2
Polite permission to leave a person or place
  • noun
  • /liːv/
  • Formal
: despedida
  • - By your leave, sir?
  • leave of the court

And the most interesting thing that he had to say about him was the best thing that happened to me was my father leaving.

Examples

Synonyms

exit
vsleave
231 1.0

The act of leaving a place or situation

is formal permission or polite instance rather than only a physical action
farewell
vsleave
194 1.9

A speech or action that says goodbye and wishes someone well

is formal permission to depart rather than just an expression of good wishes
leaving
vsleave
75 1.0

The act of going away from a place or person

is the formal permission or polite instance rather than plain departure
parting
vsleave
53 3.2

To leave or say goodbye to someone

is mainly formal permission to depart rather than an emotional goodbye
leave of absence
vsleave
  • Formal
39 3.9

A period when someone is officially allowed to be away from work or school

is polite permission to depart briefly rather than an authorized long absence
going away
vsleave
26 3.2

Leaving a place or people to live somewhere else for a long time

is formal permission to depart rather than long-term relocation
leave-taking
vsleave
  • Formal
1 7.0

To say goodbye in a polite or formal way

is formal permission to depart rather than only the goodbye act

Antonyms

333 1.0

Coming to a place, often at the end of a journey

Idioms

23 4.6

An offer you cannot change that you must accept or refuse

Is not as good as expected or needed

14 7.9

To abandon someone at the last moment before their wedding

Try every possible way and search everywhere to achieve a goal

To go far ahead of someone in speed or success

To try as hard as you can during a game or competition

Make something not completely certain or convincing

Not showing all details so people can think about the missing parts

1 8.9

Going away from a place without telling or asking anyone

Make someone laugh a lot so they cannot stop

To leave a place quickly, often as a joke

To let someone else decide what to do next

Behave in a very foolish way without thinking clearly

Do much better than other companies or teams

A warning that bad behavior on a work trip can lead to punishment at work when you return

To be ready to leave a place or situation for the smallest reason

To put aside your pride to work well with others

7.8

To walk out suddenly while showing anger

8.2

To say goodbye in a warm, loving way when you must leave

Compounds

39 3.9

A period when someone is officially allowed to be away from work or school

18 2.7

Time away from work to care for family members after a birth, adoption, or when they are ill

16 2.4

A period away from work because a worker is ill

shore leave
  • Jargon
15 5.6

Official permission for sailors to go ashore while their ship is in port

14 1.0

The moment when you should leave a place

Time a father can take off work after a child is born or adopted

5 3.4

Time off work to care for a new child after birth or adoption

A long time away from work for personal, medical, or family reasons

leave-taking
  • Formal
1 7.0

To say goodbye in a polite or formal way

1 3.5

Time away from work given so a worker can deal with a serious family illness or death

1 7.0

A final time away from duty taken before leaving the military while still officially in service

ticket-of-leave
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A permit that lets a prisoner live and work outside prison under rules

A period of paid time away from work to study or travel

A person who is away from military duty without permission

How Formal

to disembark
22 5.1
to debark
1 7.2
going ashore
11 3.5
leave
  • Formal
61 4.2
to get off
932 2.5

Surface Forms

leave singular
leaves plural

Etymology

Leave in the sense of departing politely comes from Old English lǣfan, used when people asked to be allowed to go; to 'take one's leave' is to get that permission and then go away politely.