left
n. C / Un. the side of your body that is toward the west when you face north. It is the opposite of the right side.
n. the side of the body or an object that is toward the west when facing north; the opposite of the right. In a political context, it refers to groups or parties that support social equality and progressive change.
The bank is on the left just past the park.
When you reach the main intersection, take the first turning on the left to find the station.
The candidate's platform appealed primarily to the left, focusing on expanded social welfare programs and stricter environmental regulations to combat climate change.
From Middle English left, luft, leoft, lift, lyft, from Old English left, lyft (“weak, clumsy, foolish”), attested in Old English lyftādl (“palsy, paralysis”), from Proto-Germanic luft-, from lubjaną (“to castrate, lop off”) (compare dialectal English lib, West Frisian lobje, Dutch lubben), from Proto-Indo-European (s)lewp-, (s)lup- (“hanging limply”). Compare Scots left (“left”), North Frisian lefts, leeft, leefts (“left”), West Frisian lofts (“left”), obsolete Dutch lucht, leftsch, lefts, lefs (“left”), dialectal Dutch loof (“weak, worthless”), archaic Low German lucht (“left”).
From Middle English left, variant of laft (“remaining, left”), from Old English lǣfd, ġelǣfd, past participle of lǣfan (“to leave”). More at leave.
From Middle English levit, ilevet, y-levyd, from Old English ġelȳfd, ġelȳfed, past participle of Old English ġelȳfan, lȳfan (“to allow, permit”), equivalent to leave (“to give leave to, allow, grant, permit”) + -ed.
Often used with the definite article ('the left') when referring to a direction or a political faction.
Turn to left at the corner.Turn to the left at the corner.When used as a noun for direction, 'left' almost always requires the definite article 'the'.