leave-taking
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of leave-taking
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75
Explanation
When you've come to the end of a weekend with your best friends, it's time for a leave-taking, or time to say goodbye. All good things come to an end, and when that happens, you can describe it as a leave-taking. Hugging your visitors goodbye, waving as their car departs — these are all parts of leave-taking. It can be simple and polite, like when you say goodbye to co-workers at the end of the day, or a more poignant leave-taking, like when you leave your entire family to travel in Africa for a year.
Vocabulary lists containing leave-taking
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It was a real blessing to be here,” Howland said, “and I wanted to leave taking the high road, doing it the right way.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2025
Wisconsin officials feared the Brewers also could leave, taking their tax dollars with them.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 22, 2023
His arrest sparked anger among colleagues across the country and lead to a 'go slow' through concerted sick leave taking in some places.
From Reuters • Jul. 27, 2023
As the clock ticks, many people leave, taking a risk to manage their illness on their own.
From Scientific American • Mar. 26, 2023
While Jack was on leave taking care of Sophie, Hoagland told me how Jack had been abducted in Cyprus by a red insurgent faction in sixty-four.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
