Dictionary

leave behind en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To abandon.
   • Goodbye / Doesn't mean a thing with you and I, oh / Our love has stood through all the tests of time / Yes, it has / If you're planning to leave me behind, oh / Let me put one more thing on your mind 1981, Atlantic Starr, “Send For Me”, in Radiant:
   • We left behind our luggage at the hotel.
   • Dr. Chakwas: Shepard? You... you came for us. Shepard: No one gets left behind. 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Collector Base:
   • Don't think I've left you all behind Still love you and Tennessee You're always on my mind 2020 April 3, Chappell Roan, Dan Nigro, “Pink Pony Club”performed by Chappell Roan:
   • That's because, having left behind his senior position on the national network at the West Midlands Rail Executive in mid-March […], the energetic but mild-mannered Holmes has brought a distinctly forward-looking agenda to the Leicestershire heritage operation he now leads. 2023 August 23, Malcolm Holmes tells Paul Stephen, “A mission to develop GCR's legacy”, in RAIL, number 990, page 38:
   • How could you leave me behind like that?
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To forget about.
   • We (accidentally) left behind our bags at the airport.
   • Just leave your cares behind you and enjoy the party.
3. (idiomatic, transitive) To not live longer than; to be survived by.
   • Mrs Johnston died at thirty, and left behind three young daughters.
4. (idiomatic, transitive) To leave (a trace of something).
   • The wound I got in my car accident left behind a massive scar.
   • The shocking thing about Christopher’s disappearance is that he vanished within sight of his co-workers. All he left behind were a few traces and a mystery that was never solved. 2026 August 23, Aniket Chaughule, “Christopher Thompkins Vanished From a Georgia Survey Site in 2002. His Coworkers Were Only 50 Feet Away”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 24 Aug 2026:
   • Unfortunately, this cleaning product leaves behind a noticeable residue.
5. (idiomatic, transitive) To outdo; to progress faster than (someone or something else).
   • This product leaves behind all its competitors in the market.
6. (idiomatic, transitive) To pass.
   • As soon as we made our way onto the highway, we left the skyscrapers behind us.
7. (idiomatic) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see leave, behind.

Forms

Translations (118)

cmn 勝過 /胜过 (outdo) · sh оставити (abandon) · cmn 忘記 /忘记 (forget about) · sh napustiti (abandon) · sh ostaviti iza sebe (pass) · sh оставити (forget about) · ro lasă baltă (forget about) · sh превазићи (outdo) · de vergessen (forget about) · ro abandona (abandon) · ro lăsa urmă (leave a trace) · fi jättää (leave a trace) · sh претећи (pass) · ro lăsa în urmă (abandon) · sh претећи (outdo) · ru оста́вить (not live longer than) · pl zostawiać (abandon) · cmn 超過 /超过 (pass) · de hinter sich lassen (outdo) · jam lef (abandon) · ru оста́вить (abandon) · bg забравям (forget about) · jam lef (forget about) · cmn 留下 (leave a trace) · cmn 掉 (forget about) · grc καταλείπω (abandon) · sh оставити иза себе (pass) · ru превосходи́ть (outdo) · fi jättää jälki (leave a trace) · hu ottfelejt (forget about) · chr ᎦᏂᏯᎠ (abandon) · ro întrece (outdo) · hu maga mögött hagy (pass) · sh izostaviti (abandon) · ru оставля́ть (abandon) · de hinterlassen (not live longer than) · se guođđit (abandon) · fr abandonner (abandon) · th ลืม (forget about) · fi jättää taakseen (pass) · fi unohtaa (forget about) · sh preteći (pass) · ro depăși (pass) · bg напускам (abandon) · lo ລືມ (forget about) · izh jättää (abandon) · sh ostaviti trag (leave a trace) · pl zostawić (abandon) · se vajálduhttit (forget about) · sh ostaviti iza sebe (outdo) · da efterlade (abandon) · de zurücklassen (abandon) · bg превъзхождам (outdo) · ru проходи́ть (pass) · ru оставля́ть (not live longer than) · hu hátrahagy maga után (not live longer than) · de abhängen (outdo) · ro depăși (outdo) · cmn 落 (forget about) · fi jättää taakseen (outdo) · chr ᎠᏗᏏᏯ (abandon) · no legge igjen (leave a trace) · hu felülmúl (outdo) · got 𐌱𐌹𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌸𐌰𐌽 (abandon) · bg оставям след себе си (not live longer than) · fi jättää jälkeensä (not live longer than) · sh оставити иза себе (not live longer than) · sv lämna (abandon) · de hinterlassen (leave a trace) · hu otthagy (forget about) · ru забыва́ть (forget about) · ro fi supraviețuit de (not live longer than) · hu túltesz (outdo) · bg отминавам (pass) · de hinter sich lassen (pass) · ro uita (forget about) · bg изоставям (abandon) · sh заборавити (forget about) · bg надживявам (not live longer than) · bg оставям следа (leave a trace) · fr laisser en arrière (forget about) · sh ostaviti (forget about) · sh ostaviti iza sebe (not live longer than) · nl achterlaten (abandon) · sv lämna efter sig (not live longer than) · eo postlasi (abandon) · sh напустити (abandon) · cmn 遺棄 /遗弃 (abandon) · bg подминавам (pass) · ru оставля́ть (leave a trace) · sa रिणक्ति (abandon) · fi jättää (abandon) · sh prevazići (outdo) · hu hátrahagy (abandon) · bg поствам (leave a trace) · ru превзойти́ (outdo) · sh оставити траг (leave a trace) · ru оста́вить (leave a trace) · ru забы́ть (forget about) · hu otthagy (abandon) · sh изоставити (abandon) · ru пройти́ (pass) · ro lăsa în urmă (forget about) · de hinterlassen (abandon) · cmn 超過 /超过 (outdo) · sh zaboraviti (forget about) · la dēserō (abandon) · sh ostaviti (abandon) · hu maga után hagy (leave a trace) · la relinquō (abandon) · ja 置き忘れる (forget about) · chr ᎦᎧᎯᏯᎠ (abandon) · cmn 留下 (not live longer than) · ro părăsi (abandon) · no legge igjen (not live longer than) · bg надминавам (outdo) · sh оставити иза себе (outdo) · sh preteći (outdo)