left

Meaning

Adj

1. Designating the side of the body toward the west when one is facing north; the side of the body on which the heart is located in most humans; the opposite of right. This arrow points to the reader's left: ←
2. Anticlockwise, particularly when describing a change in direction or orientation.
3. Designating the bank of a river (etc.) on one's left when facing downstream (i.e. facing forward while floating with the current); that is, the north bank of a river that flows eastward. If this arrow: ⥲ shows the direction of the current, the tilde is on the left side of the river.
4. Left-wing; pertaining to the political left.

Adv

1. (not-comparable) On the left side.
2. (not-comparable) Towards the left side.
3. (not-comparable) Towards the political left.

Noun

1. The left side or direction.
2. The left-wing political parties as a group; citizens holding left-wing views as a group.
3. The left hand or fist.
4. A punch delivered with the left fist.
5. A wave breaking from left to right (viewed from the shore).

Verb

simple past and past participle of leave (“depart, separate from; (cause or allow to) remain”).

Verb

simple past and past participle of leave (“permit”).

leave

• Verb
• Noun
• Noun

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Opposite of

right, dexter, dextral

Synonyms

abandoned

remain

left-hand

left side

remaining

left hand

left hand side

left wing

quitted

left-wing

left-handed

leftover

given up

forsaken

deserted

to the left

unexpended

left over

left field

odd

leftist

leftfield

gone

departed

thrown

on the left

the left

cast

lefty

left-handed person

near

sinister

north

stay

taken off

what else

wrong way

left alone

continue to exist

L

left rudder

sinistrous

waste

be abandoned

remain over

gone forth

being on the left

left-hand side

levo

laevo

Translations

gauche

izquierda

⬅️

sinistra

links

links

izquierdo

esquerda

sinistro

esquerra

sol

Linke

esquerdo

αριστερός

link

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈlɛft/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: left

Inherited from Old English: left

Cognate with Old English: lyftādl

Cognate with English: lib

Cognate with Western Frisian: lobje

Cognate with Dutch: lubben

Cognate with Scots: left

Cognate with Northern Frisian: lefts

Cognate with Western Frisian: lofts

Cognate with Dutch: loof

Cognate with Low German: lucht

Inherited from Old English: læfd

Inherited from Middle English: levit

Inherited from Old English: ġelȳfd

In summary

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”).

Sentences

Tim kisses Leah , and the two continue where they left off .

All three seats were left vacant until the next election .

After he was fired , the two left Puerto Rico to work in Miami , Florida .

The new petition was also left unanswered .

They say at Patti's house he left two hours ago .

Afterwards , Curran left for good .