Antonyms for leave


Grammar : Noun, verb
Spell : leev
Phonetic Transcription : liv


Definition of leave

Origin :
  • Old English læfan "to let remain; remain; have left; bequeath," from Proto-Germanic *laibijan (cf. Old Frisian leva "to leave," Old Saxon farlebid "left over"), causative of *liban "remain," (cf. Old English belifan, German bleiben, Gothic bileiban "to remain"), from root *laf- "remnant, what remains," from PIE *leip- "to stick, adhere;" also "fat."
  • The Germanic root has only the sense "remain, continue," which also is in Greek lipares "persevering, importunate." But this usually is regarded as a development from the primary PIE sense of "adhere, be sticky" (cf. Lithuanian lipti, Old Church Slavonic lipet "to adhere," Greek lipos "grease," Sanskrit rip-/lip- "to smear, adhere to." Seemingly contradictory meaning of "depart" (early 13c.) comes from notion of "to leave behind" (as in to leave the earth "to die;" to leave the field "retreat").
  • noun permission
  • noun holiday, time off
  • verb depart, abandon physically
  • verb abandon, renounce
  • verb forget, neglect
  • verb give, especially after death
Example sentences :
  • They administer stinging rebukes that leave the adversary writhing.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • Then go down and leave it where you found it, and I will let you come up.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • But nevertheless he could not leave it behind since it was for this he had incurred his present peril.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • Your brother was foolish enough to leave his boat in Rushton's care.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • Halbert thought it was time to be going, and accordingly got up and took his leave.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • If you will leave the matter in my hands, I will call upon him to-night, and see what I can do.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • And six weeks after that I had things in shape so't I was able to leave.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • He was married, but constantly said he was about to leave his wife, so she would divorce him.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • He must be a cursed scoundrel to leave that poor lad there to die!
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • After the boats were crowded, they would hold on to them so that they could not leave the shore.
  • Extract from : « Harriet, The Moses of Her People » by Sarah H. Bradford

Synonyms for leave

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019