Adjacent Words

Left definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LEFT, pret. and pp. of leave.
LEFT, a. [L. lavus; Gr. probably from the root of leave, Gr. and properly weak, deficient. Applied to the hand or arm, it denotes the weak arm, as opposed to the right, the strong or dextrous. Hence the ancient idea of sinister, unfortunate, attached to the left arm or side.]
1. Denoting the part opposed to the right of the body; as the left hand, arm or side. Hence, the noun being omitted, we say, on the left, that is, on the left side or wing, as of an army.
2. The left bank of a river, is that which is on the left hand of a person whose face is towards the mouth of the river.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: 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, left over, left, odd, remaining, unexpended]
3: intended for the left hand; "I rarely lose a left-hand glove" [syn: left, left-hand]
4: of or belonging to the political or intellectual left [ant: center, right] n
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 [syn: left, left wing]
3: the hand that is on the left side of the body; "jab with your left" [syn: left, left hand]
4: the piece of ground in the outfield on the catcher's left; "the batter flied out to left" [syn: left field, leftfield, left]
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" adv
1: toward or on the left; also used figuratively; "he looked right and left"; "the political party has moved left" [ant: right]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, weak; akin to Middle Low German lucht left; from the left hand's being the weaker in most individuals Date: 13th century 1. a. of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body in which the heart is mostly located b. done with the left hand <a left hook to the jaw> c. located nearer to the left hand than to the right d. (1) located on the left of an observer facing in the same direction as the object specified <stage left> (2) located on the left when facing downstream <the left bank of a river> 2. often capitalized of, adhering to, or constituted by the left especially in politics • left adverb II. noun Date: 13th century 1. a. the left hand b. the location or direction of the left side c. the part on the left side d. a turn to the left <take a left at the intersection> 2. a. left field b. a blow struck with the left fist 3. often capitalized a. the part of a legislative chamber located to the left of the presiding officer b. the members of a continental European legislative body occupying the left as a result of holding more radical political views than other members 4. often capitalized a. those professing views usually characterized by desire to reform or overthrow the established order especially in politics and usually advocating change in the name of the greater freedom or well-being of the common man b. a radical as distinguished from a conservative position • leftmost noun III. past and past participle of leave

Britannica Concise

In political science, the portion of the political spectrum associated with socialism. The term derives from the seating arrangement of the French revolutionary parliament in the 1790s, where the socialistic representatives sat to the presiding officer's left. Those who associate themselves with the left favor greater popular sovereignty and democratic control over political, social, and economic life, and regard social welfare as the most important goal of government. Modern liberalism may shade off into socialism, the standard ideology of the left in most countries of the world; communism is a more radical and sharply defined leftist ideology.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. adj., adv., & n. (opp. RIGHT). --adj. 1 on or towards the side of the human body which corresponds to the position of west if one regards oneself as facing north. 2 on or towards the part of an object which is analogous to a person's left side or (with opposite sense) which is nearer to an observer's left hand. 3 (also Left) Polit. of the Left. --adv. on or to the left side. --n. 1 the left-hand part or region or direction. 2 Boxing a the left hand. b a blow with this. 3 a (often Left) Polit. a group or section favouring radical socialism (orig. the more radical section of a continental legislature, seated on the president's left); such radicals collectively. b the more advanced or innovative section of any group. 4 the side of a stage which is to the left of a person facing the audience. 5 (esp. in marching) the left foot. 6 the left wing of an army. Phrases and idioms: have two left feet be clumsy. left and right = right and left. left bank the bank of a river on the left facing downstream. left bower see BOWER(3). left field Baseball the part of the outfield to the left of the batter as he or she faces the pitcher. left hand 1 the hand of the left side. 2 (usu. prec. by at, on, to) the region or direction on the left side of a person. left-hand adj. 1 on or towards the left side of a person or thing (left-hand drive). 2 done with the left hand (left-hand blow). 3 a (of rope) twisted counter-clockwise. b (of a screw) = LEFT-HANDED. left turn a turn that brings one's front to face as one's left side did before. left wing 1 the radical or socialist section of a political party. 2 the left side of a football etc. team on the field. 3 the left side of an army. left-wing adj. socialist, radical. left-winger a person on the left wing. marry with the left hand marry morganatically (see LEFT-HANDED). Derivatives: leftish adj. Etymology: ME lüft, lift, left, f. OE, orig. sense 'weak, worthless' 2. past and past part. of LEAVE(1).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Leave 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Left Left (l[e^]ft), imp. & p. p. of Leave.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Left 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Left Left, n. 1. That part of surrounding space toward which the left side of one's body is turned; as, the house is on the left when you face North. Put that rose a little more to the left. --Ld. Lytton. 2. Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who are in the opposition; the advanced republicans and extreme radicals. They have their seats at the left-hand side of the presiding officer. See Center, and Right.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Left Left, a. Situated so that the left side of the body is toward it; as, the left side of a deliberative meeting is that to the left of the presiding officer; the left wing of an army is that to the left of the center to one facing an enemy.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

I. REMAINING Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. Left is the past tense and past participle of leave. 2. If there is a certain amount of something left, or if you have a certain amount of it left, it remains when the rest has gone or been used. Is there any gin left?... He's got plenty of money left... They still have six games left to play. ADJ: v-link ADJ, v n ADJ • If there is a certain amount of something left over, or if you have it left over, it remains when the rest has gone or been used. So much income is devoted to monthly mortgage payments that nothing is left over. ...a large bucket of cut flowers left over from the wedding. PHRASE: usu v-link PHR II. DIRECTION AND POLITICAL GROUPINGS Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. Note: The spelling 'Left' is also used for meanings 3 and 4. 1. The left is one of two opposite directions, sides, or positions. If you are facing north and you turn to the left, you will be facing west. In the word 'to', the 't' is to the left of the 'o'. In Britain cars drive on the left. ...the brick wall to the left of the conservatory... Beaufort Castle is on your left. ? right N-SING: usu the N • Left is also an adverb. Turn left at the crossroads into Clay Lane. ADV: ADV after v 2. Your left arm, leg, or ear, for example, is the one which is on the left side of your body. Your left shoe or glove is the one which is intended to be worn on your left foot or hand. ? right ADJ: ADJ n 3. You can refer to people who support the political ideals of socialism as the left. They are often contrasted with the right, who support the political ideals of capitalism and conservatism. ...the traditional parties of the Left... ? right N-SING-COLL: the N 4. If you say that a person or political party has moved to the left, you mean that their political beliefs have become more left-wing. After Mrs Thatcher's first election victory in 1979, Labour moved sharply to the left... ? right N-SING: the N, usu to the N

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

left (sama'l, "to go to the left," "to turn to the left," semo'l, "the left hand," sema'li, "belonging to the left," "situated on the left"; aristeros, and euphemistically euonumos, literally, "having a good name," "of good omen"): The words are chiefly used in orientation with or without the addition of the word "hand." So Abraham says to Lot: "If thou wilt take the left hand (semo'l), then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left (sama'l)" (Ge 13:9). Frequently in Hebrew idiom the right hand and the left are mentioned together in order to express the idea "everywhere," "anywhere," "altogether" (Ge 24:49; Ex 14:22,29; Nu 22:26; De 2:27; 5:32; 2Co 6:7). In the geographical sense the left is synonymous with north (Ge 14:15; Jos 19:27; Eze 16:46; Ac 21:3). While the left hand is considered as weaker than the right (see LEFTHANDED), it is the hand which holds the bow (Eze 39:3). The left hand is the side from which bad omens come, and therefore less lucky and less honored than the right hand (see HAND, note).

H. L. E. Luering

Moby Thesaurus

Gospel side, abandoned, aport, cantorial side, castaway, communistic, counterclockwise, departed, derelict, deserted, discarded, disused, forsaken, gone, gone away, gone off, jettisoned, larboard, left hand, left wing, left-hand, left-hand side, left-wing, left-winger, left-wingish, leftism, leftist, leftover, leftward, leftwardly, leftwards, levorotatory, liberal, liberalism, liberalist, marooned, near, near side, net, nigh, odd, on the left, outstanding, over, pink, port, port tack, portside, progressive, progressivism, progressivist, radical, red, remaining, remanent, sinister, sinistrad, sinistral, sinistrally, sinistrocerebral, sinistrocular, sinistrogyrate, sinistrorse, socialistic, spare, superfluous, surplus, surviving, to spare, to the left, unconsumed, unused, verso, welfare stater, wrong side