Left

Pronunciation

• IPA: /lÉ›ft/
• Rhymes: -É›ft

From Middle English left, luft, leoft, lift, lyft, from Old English left, lyft ("weak, useless"), from Proto-Germanic *luft- (compare Scots left ("left"), North Frisian lefts, leeft, leefts ("left"), West Frisian lofts ("left"), dialectal Dutch loof ("weak, worthless"), Low German lucht ("left"), from *lubjanÄ… "to castrate, lop off" (compare dialectal English lib, West Frisian lobje, Dutch lubben), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leup, *(s)lup "hanging limply". More at lob, lop.

Adjective

1. The opposite of right; toward the west when one is facing north.Turn left at the corner.
2. (politics) pertaining to the political left; liberal.

Synonyms

• left-hand
• sinister
• sinistral

Antonyms

• right

Derived terms

• left-hand
• left-handed
• left wing
• two left feet

Full definition of left

Adverb

1. On the left side.
2. Towards the left side.

Noun

1. The left side or direction.
2. (politics) The ensemble of left-wing political parties. Those holding left-wing views as a group.The political left is not holding enough power.
3. (boxing) A punch delivered with the left fist.

Synonyms

• (left side or direction) 9 o'clock, port
• (politics)

Derived terms

• lefty
• to the left

Middle English left, variant of laft ("remaining, left"), from Old English lǣfd, ġelǣfd, past participle of lǣfan ("to leave"). More at leave.

Verb

1. left

   (past of leave)
   .
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 8, Afore we got to the shanty Colonel Applegate stuck his head out of the door. His temper had been getting raggeder all the time, and the sousing he got when he fell overboard had just about ripped what was left of it to ravellings.
2. Remaining.
   There are only three cups of juice left.

From a verbal use of leave ("permission"), perhaps connected to Middle English leven ("to give leave to, permit, concede"), from Old English līefan, lȳfan ("to allow"). More at leave.

Verb

1. (Ireland, colloquial) permitted, allowed to proceed.We were not left go to the beach after school except on a weekend.

Anagrams

• felt
• TEFL