Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Leave \Leave\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Leaved}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Leaving}]
   To send out leaves; to leaf; -- often with out. --G.
   Fletcher.

Leave \Leave\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Left}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Leaving}.] [OE. leven, AS. l?fan, fr. l[=a]f remnant,
   heritage; akin to lifian, libban, to live, orig., to remain;
   cf. bel[=i]fan to remain, G. bleiben, Goth. bileiban. ?. See
   {Live}, v.]
   1. To withdraw one's self from; to go away from; to depart
      from; as, to leave the house.

            Therefore shall a man leave his father and his
            mother, and shall cleave unto his wife. --Gen. ii.
                                                  24.

   2. To let remain unremoved or undone; to let stay or
      continue, in distinction from what is removed or changed.

            If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not
            leave some gleaning grapes ?          --Jer. xlix.
                                                  9.

            These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the
            other undone.                         --Matt. xxiii.
                                                  23.

            Besides it leaveth a suspicion, as if more might be
            said than is expressed.               --Bacon.

   3. To cease from; to desist from; to abstain from.

            Now leave complaining and begin your tea. --Pope.

   4. To desert; to abandon; to forsake; hence, to give up; to
      relinquish.

            Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. --Mark
                                                  x. 28.

            The heresies that men do leave.       --Shak.

   5. To let be or do without interference; as, I left him to
      his reflections; I leave my hearers to judge.

            I will leave you now to your gossiplike humor.
                                                  --Shak.

   6. To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver; to commit; to
      submit -- with a sense of withdrawing one's self from; as,
      leave your hat in the hall; we left our cards; to leave
      the matter to arbitrators.

            Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy
            way.                                  --Matt. v. 24.

            The foot That leaves the print of blood where'er it
            walks.                                --Shak.

   7. To have remaining at death; hence, to bequeath; as, he
      left a large estate; he left a good name; he left a legacy
      to his niece.

   {To leave alone}.
      (a) To leave in solitude.
      (b) To desist or refrain from having to do with; as, to
          leave dangerous chemicals alone.

   {To leave off}.
      (a) To desist from; to forbear; to stop; as, to leave off
          work at six o'clock.
      (b) To cease wearing or using; to omit to put in the usual
          position; as, to leave off a garment; to leave off the
          tablecloth.
      (c) To forsake; as, to leave off a bad habit.

   {To leave out}, to omit; as, to leave out a word or name in
      writing.

   {To leave to one's self}, to let (one) be alone; to cease
      caring for (one).

   Syn: Syn>- To quit; depart from; forsake; abandon;
        relinquish; deliver; bequeath; give up; forego; resign;
        surrender; forbear. See {Quit}.

Source : WordNet®

leaving
     n : act of departing [syn: {departure}, {going}, {going away}]