left1

 
Pronunciation: /lɛft/

adjective

  • 1on, towards, or relating to the side of a human body or of a thing which is to the west when the person or thing is facing north: her left eye the left side of the road
  • 2relating to a person or group favouring radical, reforming, or socialist views: Left politics left periodicals such as Marxism Today
    [see left wing]

adverb

  • on or to the left side: turn left here keep left

noun

  • 1 (the left) the left-hand part, side, or direction: turn to the left (one's left) the general sat to his left
  • (in football or a similar sport) the left-hand half of the field when facing the opponents' goal: a free kick from the left
  • the left wing of an army: a token attack on the Russian left
  • a left turn: take a left here
  • a road, entrance, etc. on the left: my road’s the first left
  • a person’s left fist, especially a boxer’s: a dazzler with the left
  • a blow given with the left fist: a left to the body
  • 2 (often the Left) [treated as singular or plural] a group or party favouring radical, reforming, or socialist views: the Left is preparing to fight presidential elections he is on the left of the party

Phrases

have two left feet

be clumsy or awkward: if you stumble when you dance, you’ve got two left feet

left, right, and centre (also left and right or right and left)

on all sides: deals were being done left, right, and centre

Derivatives

leftish

adjective

leftward

Pronunciation: /ˈlɛftwəd/
adjective & adverb

leftwards

Pronunciation: /-wədz/
adverb

Origin:

Old English lyft, left 'weak' (the left-hand side being regarded as the weaker side of the body), of West Germanic origin