of, pertaining to, or located on or near the side of a person or thing that is turned toward the west when the subject is facing north (opposed to right).
2.
(often initial capital letter) of or belonging to the political Left; having liberal or radical views in politics.
3.
Mathematics. pertaining to an element of a set that has a given property when written on the left of an element or set of elements of the set: a left identity, as 1 in 1 · x = x.
–noun
4.
the left side or something that is on the left side.
5.
a turn toward the left: Make a left at the next corner.
6.
the Left,
a.
the complex of individuals or organized groups advocating liberal reform or revolutionary change in the social, political, or economic order.
b.
the position held by these people. Compare right(def. 33a, b).
the part of a legislative assembly, esp. in continental Europe, that is situated on the left side of the presiding officer and that is customarily assigned to members of the legislature who hold more radical and socialistic views than the rest of the members.
b.
the members of such an assembly who sit on the left.
toward the left: She moved left on entering the room.
[Origin: 1125–75; 1935–40 for def. 6; ME left, lift, luft, OE left idle, weak, useless, Kentish form of lyft- (in lyftādl palsy); c. D, LG lucht; akin to ME libbe (mod. dial. lib) to castrate, c. D, LG lubben]
to stop using or wearing: It had stopped raining, so we left off our coats.
c.
to omit: to leave a name off a list.
18.
leave out, to omit; exclude: She left out an important detail in her account.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME leven, OE lǣfan (causative formation from base of lāf remainder; see lave2); c. OHG leiban (cf. G bleiben to remain), ON leifa, Goth -laibjan]
—Usage note Leave is interchangeable with let when followed by alone with the sense “to refrain from annoying or interfering with”: Leave (or Let) her alone and she will solve the problem easily. When he was left (or let) alone without interruptions, the boy quickly assembled the apparatus. The use of leave alone for let alone in the sense “not to mention” is nonstandard: There wasn't any standing room, let (not leave) alone a seat, so I missed the performance. Other substitutions of leave for let are generally regarded as nonstandard: Let (not Leave) us sit down and talk this over. Let (not Leave) her do it her own way. The police wouldn't let (not leave) us cross the barriers.See also let1.
To go out of or away from: not allowed to leave the room.
To go without taking or removing: left my book on the bus.
To omit or exclude: left out the funniest part of the story.
To have remaining after death: left a young son.
To bequeath: left her money to charity.
To abandon or forsake: leave home; left her husband.
To remove oneself from association with or participation in: left the navy for civilian life.
To give or deposit, as for use or information, upon one's departure or in one's absence: He left a note for you. Leave your name and address.
To cause or permit to be or remain: left myself plenty of time.
To have as a result, consequence, or remainder: The car left a trail of exhaust fumes. Two from eight leaves six.
To cause or allow to be or remain in a specified state: left the lights on.
To have remaining after death: left a young son.
To bequeath: left her money to charity.
To abandon or forsake: leave home; left her husband.
To remove oneself from association with or participation in: left the navy for civilian life.
To give or deposit, as for use or information, upon one's departure or in one's absence: He left a note for you. Leave your name and address.
To cause or permit to be or remain: left myself plenty of time.
To give over to another to control or act on: Leave all the details to us.
To abandon or forsake: leave home; left her husband.
To remove oneself from association with or participation in: left the navy for civilian life.
To give or deposit, as for use or information, upon one's departure or in one's absence: He left a note for you. Leave your name and address.
To cause or permit to be or remain: left myself plenty of time.
To give or deposit, as for use or information, upon one's departure or in one's absence: He left a note for you. Leave your name and address.
To cause or permit to be or remain: left myself plenty of time.
Nonstandard To allow or permit; let.
v.
intr.
To set out or depart; go: When can you leave?
Phrasal Verbs:
leave /letalone
To refrain from disturbing or interfering.
leave off
To stop; cease.
To stop doing or using.
Phrasal Verb(s): leave /let alone
To refrain from disturbing or interfering.
leave off
To stop; cease.
To stop doing or using.
Idiom(s):
leave no stone unturned
To make every possible effort.
[Middle English leaven, from Old English lǣfan; see leip- in Indo-European roots.]
leav'er n.
Usage Note: Leave alone is an acceptable substitute for let alone in the sense "to refrain from disturbing or interfering." A majority of the Usage Panel in an earlier survey approved the following examples: Leave him alone and he will produce. Left alone, he was quite productive. Those who did not accept these examples generally felt that leave alone should mean simply "to depart from someone who remains in solitude": They were left alone in the wilderness. · In formal writing leave is not an acceptable substitute for let in the sense "to allow or permit." Thus in the following examples, only let can be used: Let me be. Let him go. Let us not quarrel. Let it lie.
Of, belonging to, located on, or being the side of the body to the north when the subject is facing east.
Of, relating to, directed toward, or located on the left side.
Located on the left side of a person facing downstream: the left bank of a river.
often Left Of or belonging to the political or intellectual left.
n.
The direction or position on the left side.
The left side.
The left hand.
A turn in the direction of the left hand or side.
The people and groups who advocate liberal, often radical measures to effect change in the established order, especially in politics, usually to achieve the equality, freedom, and well-being of the common citizens of a state. Also called left wing.
The opinion of those advocating such measures.
often Left
The people and groups who advocate liberal, often radical measures to effect change in the established order, especially in politics, usually to achieve the equality, freedom, and well-being of the common citizens of a state. Also called left wing.
The opinion of those advocating such measures.
Sports A blow delivered by a boxer's left hand.
Baseball Left field.
adv.
Toward or on the left.
[Middle English, from Old English lyft-, weak, useless (in lyftādl, paralysis).]
c.1205, from Kentish form of O.E. lyft- "weak, foolish" (cf. lyft-adl "lameness, paralysis," E.Fris. luf, Du. dial. loof "weak, worthless"). It emerged 13c. as "opposite of right," a derived sense also found in M.Du., Low Ger. luchter, luft. Ger. link, Du. linker "left" are from O.H.G. slinc, M.Du. slink "left," related to O.E. slincan "crawl," Sw. linka "limp," slinka "dangle." Replaced O.E. winestra, lit. "friendlier," a euphemism used superstitiously to avoid invoking the unlucky forces connected with the left side (see sinister). The Kentish word itself may have been originally a taboo replacement, if instead it represents PIE root *laiwo-, meaning "considered conspicuous" (represented in Gk. laios, Latvian laevus, and Rus. levyi). Gk. also uses a euphemism for "left," aristeros "the better one" (cf. also Avestan vairyastara- "to the left," from vairya- "desirable"). But Lith. kairys "left" and Lettish kreilis "left hand" derive from a root that yields words for "twisted, crooked." Political sense arose from members of a legislative body assigned to the left side of a chamber, first attested in Eng. 1837 (by Carlyle, in ref. to the Fr. Revolution), probably a loan-translation of Fr. la gauche (1791), said to have originated during the seating of the Fr. National Assembly in 1789 in which the nobility took the seats on the President's right and left the Third Estate to sit on the left. Became general in U.S. and British political speech c.1900 (cf. Leftist, 1924; left wing, 1898). Used since at least 1612 in various senses of "irregular, illicit," such as the phrase left-handed compliment (1881). Phrase out in left field "unorthodox, unexpected" is attested from 1959. Lefty "left-handed person" is 1886, Amer.Eng., baseball slang. The Left Bank of Paris has been associated with intellectual and artistic culture since at least 1893.
being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north; "my left hand"; "left center field"; "the left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream" [ant: right]
2.
not used up; "leftover meatloaf"; "she had a little money left over so she went to a movie"; "some odd dollars left"; "saved the remaining sandwiches for supper"; "unexpended provisions" [syn: leftover]
3.
intended for the left hand; "I rarely lose a left-hand glove"
4.
of or belonging to the political or intellectual left [ant: center, right]
adverb
1.
toward or on the left; also used figuratively; "he looked right and left"; "the political party has moved left" [ant: right]
noun
1.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east; "she stood on the left" [ant: right]
2.
those who support varying degrees of social or political or economic change designed to promote the public welfare
3.
the hand that is on the left side of the body; "jab with your left"
4.
the piece of ground in the outfield on the catcher's left; "the batter flied out to left" [syn: left field]
5.
a turn toward the side of the body that is on the north when the person is facing east; "take a left at the corner"
on, for, or belonging to, the side of the body that in most people has the less skilful hand (the side of a person or thing which is toward the west when that person or thing is facing north-opposite to right) Example: She wore an engagement ring on her left hand; They drive on the left side of the road in Britain.
Arabic:
يِسار
Chinese (Simplified):
左
Chinese (Traditional):
左
Czech:
levý
Danish:
venstre
Dutch:
linker
Estonian:
vasak (pool)
Finnish:
vasen
French:
gauche
German:
link, *linke, *linkes
Greek:
αριστερός
Hungarian:
bal
Icelandic:
vinstri
Indonesian:
kiri
Japanese:
左の
Korean:
왼쪽의
Latvian:
kreisais
Lithuanian:
kairys
Norwegian:
venstre
Polish:
lewy
Portuguese (Brazil):
esquerdo
Portuguese (Portugal):
esquerdo
Romanian:
stâng
Russian:
левый
Slovak:
ľavý
Slovenian:
levi
Spanish:
izquierdo
Swedish:
vänster
Turkish:
sol, sola, sol yanda
left[left]adverb
to or towards this side Example: He turned left at the end of the road.
Arabic:
نَحْو اليَسار
Chinese (Simplified):
向左
Chinese (Traditional):
向左
Czech:
vlevo
Danish:
til venstre
Dutch:
links
Estonian:
vasakule
French:
à gauche
German:
links
Greek:
αριστερά
Hungarian:
balra
Icelandic:
til vinstri
Indonesian:
ke kiri
Japanese:
左に
Korean:
왼쪽으로
Latvian:
pa kreisi
Lithuanian:
į kairę, kairėn
Norwegian:
til venstre
Polish:
w lewo
Portuguese (Brazil):
à esquerda
Portuguese (Portugal):
à esquerda
Romanian:
la stânga
Russian:
налево
Slovak:
vľavo
Slovenian:
na levo
Spanish:
a la izquierda, hacia la izquierda
Swedish:
vänster
Turkish:
sola doğru
left1[left]noun
the left side, part etc Example: He sat on her left; She turned to her left; Take the first road on the left; Keep to the left!
Arabic:
الجانِب الأيْسَر
Chinese (Simplified):
左边
Chinese (Traditional):
左邊
Czech:
levice
Danish:
venstre
Dutch:
linkerhand
Estonian:
vasak pool
French:
gauche
German:
die Linke
Greek:
αριστερή πλευρά
Hungarian:
bal oldal
Icelandic:
vinstri hlið, *hönd
Indonesian:
sebelah kiri
Japanese:
左
Korean:
왼쪽
Latvian:
nogriezties pa kreisi
Lithuanian:
kairė pusė
Norwegian:
til, *mot venstre
Polish:
lewa strona
Portuguese (Brazil):
esquerda
Portuguese (Portugal):
esquerda
Romanian:
(la) stânga
Russian:
левая сторона
Slovak:
ľavica
Slovenian:
leva stran
Spanish:
izquierda
Swedish:
till (åt, mot) vänster
Turkish:
sol yan, *taraf, sol yön
left2[left]noun
within a political party, Parliament etc, the most radical or socialist group
Cen"ter\, n. [F. centre, fr. L. centrum, fr. round which a circle is described, fr. ? to prick, goad.]1. A point equally distant from the extremities of a line, figure, or body, or from all parts of the circumference of a circle; the middle point or place. 2. The middle or central portion of anything. 3. A principal or important point of concentration; the nucleus around which things are gathered or to which they tend; an object of attention, action, or force; as, a center of attaction. 4. The earth. [Obs.] --Shak. 5. Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who support the existing government. They sit in the middle of the legislative chamber, opposite the presiding officer, between the conservatives or monarchists, who sit on the right of the speaker, and the radicals or advanced republicans who occupy the seats on his left, See Right, and Left. 6. (Arch.) A temporary structure upon which the materials of a vault or arch are supported in position until the work becomes self-supporting. 7. (Mech.) (a) One of the two conical steel pins, in a lathe, etc., upon which the work is held, and about which it revolves. (b) A conical recess, or indentation, in the end of a shaft or other work, to receive the point of a center, on which the work can turn, as in a lathe. Note: In a lathe the live center is in the spindle of the head stock; the dead center is on the tail stock. Planer centers are stocks carrying centers, when the object to be planed must be turned on its axis. Center of an army, the body or troops occupying the place in the line between the wings. Center of acurve or surface (Geom.) (a) A point such that every line drawn through the point and terminated by the curve or surface is bisected at the point. (b) The fixed point of reference in polar co["o]rdinates. See Co["o]rdinates. Center of curvature of a curve (Geom.), the center of that circle which has at any given point of the curve closer contact with the curve than has any other circle whatever. See Circle. Center of a fleet, the division or column between the van and rear, or between the weather division and the lee. Center of gravity (Mech.), that point of a body about which all its parts can be balanced, or which being supported, the whole body will remain at rest, though acted upon by gravity. Center of gyration (Mech.), that point in a rotating body at which the whole mass might be concentrated (theoretically) without altering the resistance of the intertia of the body to angular acceleration or retardation. Center of inertia (Mech.), the center of gravity of a body or system of bodies. Center of motion, the point which remains at rest, while all the other parts of a body move round it. Center of oscillation, the point at which, if the whole matter of a suspended body were collected, the time of oscillation would be the same as it is in the actual form and state of the body. Center of percussion, that point in a body moving about a fixed axis at which it may strike an obstacle without communicating a shock to the axis. Center of pressure (Hydros.), that point in a surface pressed by a fluid, at which, if a force equal to the whole pressure and in the same line be applied in a contrary direction, it will balance or counteract the whole pressure of the fluid.
Leave\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Left; p. pr. & vb. n. Leaving.] [OE. leven, AS. l?fan, fr. l[=a]f remnant, heritage; akin to lifian, libban, to live, orig., to remain; cf. bel[=i]fan to remain, G. bleiben, Goth. bileiban. ?. See Live, v.]1. To withdraw one's self from; to go away from; to depart from; as, to leave the house. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife. --Gen. ii. 24. 2. To let remain unremoved or undone; to let stay or continue, in distinction from what is removed or changed. If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes ? --Jer. xlix. 9. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. --Matt. xxiii. 23. Besides it leaveth a suspicion, as if more might be said than is expressed. --Bacon. 3. To cease from; to desist from; to abstain from. Now leave complaining and begin your tea. --Pope. 4. To desert; to abandon; to forsake; hence, to give up; to relinquish. Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. --Mark x. 28. The heresies that men do leave. --Shak. 5. To let be or do without interference; as, I left him to his reflections; I leave my hearers to judge. I will leave you now to your gossiplike humor. --Shak. 6. To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver; to commit; to submit -- with a sense of withdrawing one's self from; as, leave your hat in the hall; we left our cards; to leave the matter to arbitrators. Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way. --Matt. v. 24. The foot That leaves the print of blood where'er it walks. --Shak. 7. To have remaining at death; hence, to bequeath; as, he left a large estate; he left a good name; he left a legacy to his niece. To leave alone. (a) To leave in solitude. (b) To desist or refrain from having to do with; as, to leave dangerous chemicals alone. To leave off. (a) To desist from; to forbear; to stop; as, to leave off work at six o'clock. (b) To cease wearing or using; to omit to put in the usual position; as, to leave off a garment; to leave off the tablecloth. (c) To forsake; as, to leave off a bad habit. To leave out, to omit; as, to leave out a word or name in writing. To leave to one's self, to let (one) be alone; to cease caring for (one). Syn: Syn>- To quit; depart from; forsake; abandon; relinquish; deliver; bequeath; give up; forego; resign; surrender; forbear. See Quit.
Left\, a. [OE. left, lift, luft; akin to Fries. leeft, OD. lucht, luft; cf. AS. left (equiv. to L. inanis), lyft[=a]dl palsy; or cf. AS. l[=e]f weak.] Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; -- opposed to right, when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the left hand, or arm; the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of the lower animals. Left bank of a river, that which is on the left hand of a person whose face is turned downstream. Left bower. See under 2d Bower. Left center, the members whose sympathies are, in the main, with the members of the Left, but who do not favor extreme courses, and on occasions vote with the government. They sit between the Center and the extreme Left. Over the left shoulder, or Over the left, an old but still current colloquialism, or slang expression, used as an aside to indicate insincerity, negation, or disbelief; as, he said it, and it is true, -- over the left.
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