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left1

Syllabification: (left)
Pronunciation: /left/
Translate left | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of left

adjective

  • 1on, toward, or relating to the side of a human body or of a thing that is to the west when the person or thing is facing north:her left eye the left side of the road
  • 2of or relating to a person or group favoring liberal, socialist, or radical views:Left politics
    [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:a turn to the left (one's left)the general sat to his left
  • (in soccer or a similar sport) the left-hand half of the field when facing the opponents' goal:a free kick from the left
  • (left) Baseballshort for left field.a sacrifice fly to left
  • the left wing of an army:a token attack on the Russian left
  • 2 (often the Left) [treated as singular or plural] a group or party favoring liberal, socialist, or radical views:the Left is preparing to fight presidential elections he is on the left of the party
  • 3a thing on the left-hand side or done with the left hand, in particular.
  • 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 this:a left to the body

Phrases

have two left feet

be clumsy or awkward.

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

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

Derivatives

leftish

adjective

Origin:

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

left in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of left in the British & World English dictionary
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