leave behind

English

Verb

leave behind (third-person singular simple present leaves behind, present participle leaving behind, simple past and past participle left behind)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) To abandon.

   We left behind our luggage at the hotel.

   How could you leave me behind like that?

   • 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Collector Base:

     Dr. Chakwas: Shepard? You... you came for us.
     Shepard: No one gets left behind.

   • 2023 August 23, Malcolm Holmes tells Paul Stephen, “A mission to develop GCR's legacy”, in RAIL, number 990, page 38:

     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.

2. (transitive, idiomatic) To forget about.

   We (accidentally) left behind our bags at the airport.

3. (transitive, idiomatic) To not live longer than; to be survived by.

   Mrs Johnston died at thirty, and left behind three young daughters.

4. (transitive, idiomatic) To leave (a trace of something).

   The wound I got in my car accident left behind a massive scar.

   Unfortunately, this cleaning product leaves behind a noticeable residue.

5. (transitive, idiomatic) To outdo; to progress faster than (someone or something else).

   This product leaves behind all its competitors in the market.

6. (transitive) To pass.

   As soon as we made our way onto the highway, we left the skyscrapers behind us.

7. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see leave,‎ behind.

Translations

References

• “leave behind”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.