# leave

/ˈɫiv/ (US) · /lˈiːv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/leave
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to go away

verb · CEFR A1

to go away from a place, person, or situation.

For teachers: to depart from a location, person, or state. Often used intransitively or with a direct object.

- We need to leave the house by eight o'clock to catch the train.
- The delegation decided to leave the conference early after negotiations reached a definitive stalemate.

### 2. to let stay

verb · CEFR A2

to let something stay in a place or in a certain condition.

For teachers: to allow something to remain in a specific state, location, or condition without changing or removing it.

- Please leave the window open to let some fresh air into the room.
- The investigators requested that the staff leave the documents exactly where they found them to avoid contaminating the evidence.

### 3. to give after death

verb · CEFR B2

to give something to someone in a will after you die.

For teachers: to bequeath property or assets to a beneficiary through a legal will.

- My grandfather decided to leave his old watch to my brother.
- In her final testament, she chose to leave the bulk of her estate to a local charity dedicated to environmental conservation.

### 4. time off work

noun · CEFR B1

time when you are allowed to be away from your job or the military.

For teachers: authorised period of absence from duty or employment. Often used in military or professional contexts.

- She is currently on maternity leave and will return to the office in June.
- The officer requested a fortnight of compassionate leave to attend to urgent family matters in his home country.

### 5. permission

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

formal permission to do something.

For teachers: formal or official permission to perform an action. Often found in the phrase 'leave of the court'.

- The judge granted the lawyer leave to appeal the decision.
- The petitioner sought leave of the court to introduce new witness testimony that had recently come to light.

Usage: Commonly used in the idiom 'take one's leave' or 'by your leave'.

## Examples

- She is currently on sick leave for two weeks.
- The company policy allows employees to take up to six months of unpaid leave for personal reasons.
- After serving three years abroad, the officer was granted a month of compassionate leave to attend to urgent family matters in his home country.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.