Leave (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Leaved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Leaving] To send out leaves; to leaf; -- often with out. G. Fletcher.
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Leave, n. [OE. leve, leave, AS. leáf; akin to leóf pleasing, dear, E. lief, D. oorlof leave, G. arlaub, and erlauben to permit, Icel. leyfi. √124. See Lief.] 1. Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is removed; permission; allowance; license.
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David earnestly asked leave of me. 1 Sam. xx. 6.
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No friend has leave to bear away the dead. Dryden.
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2. The act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a leaving; farewell; adieu; -- used chiefly in the phrase, to take leave, i. e., literally, to take permission to go.
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A double blessing is a'double grace;
Occasion smiles upon a second leave. Shak.
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And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren. Acts xviii. 18.
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French leave. See under French.

Syn. -- See Liberty.
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Leave (?), v. i. 1. To depart; to set out. [Colloq.]
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By the time I left for Scotland. Carlyle.
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2. To cease; to desist; to leave off. “He . . . began at the eldest, and left at the youngest.” Gen. xliv. 12.
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To leave off, to cease; to desist; to stop.
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Leave off, and for another summons wait. Roscommon.
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