leave for dinner

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of sentence 'leave for dinner' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about going out for dinner. For example: "We'll have to leave for dinner soon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

7 13 Leave for dinner.

The New York Times

He finally got off the phone and said he had to leave for dinner.

The New York Times

He would go home in the evenings, spend an hour or two with his two daughters and then typically leave for dinner.

The New York Times

I was just about to leave for dinner — where I'd be skipping drinks altogether — but the kava had caused me to lose my appetite.

The New Yorker

On her first wedding anniversary, a Saturday, Ms. Lhota was allowed to leave for dinner, so long as she was back in the office by noon the next day.

The New York Times

A coda concerns his funeral in a rather garish temple and is otherwise realistic, except that two characters sitting in a hotel room casually get up and leave for dinner while simultaneously remaining to watch TV.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

With the pool dissolved for the evening, Trump left for dinner at the "21" Club.

The New Yorker

But no accord was reached, Governor Gilmore said, as the commissioners left for dinner.

The New York Times

Obama asked his aides to come up with some more robust military options, and left for dinner.

The New Yorker

So if protein has joined sugar, fat and carbohydrate in being bad for us, what's left for dinner?

The Guardian

At 8 45 p.m., Dr. Parandelis left for dinner, a takeout turkey burger and French fries from the hospital snack bar.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "leave for dinner" to clearly indicate the act of departing for the purpose of having dinner, whether at a restaurant, home, or another location.

Common error

Avoid using "leave to eat dinner" as it's less direct and can sound awkward; "leave for dinner" is the more natural and commonly accepted phrasing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "leave for dinner" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a departure with a specific destination and purpose. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is considered grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Wiki

11%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "leave for dinner" is a prepositional phrase used to describe the act of departing from a location with the intention of having dinner. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. While it's a relatively common phrase, alternatives like "head out to dinner" or "depart for dinner" can add variety to your language. It's best to avoid less common or grammatically incorrect variations such as "leave to eat dinner". Predominantly found in News & Media, the phrase serves a neutral communicative purpose, suitable for various registers. Remember to use this phrase when you want to clearly convey the action of leaving one place to go and have dinner.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

depart for dinner

Uses "depart" instead of "leave", indicating a more formal departure.

head out to dinner

Replaces "leave" with "head out", suggesting a more casual and directional movement.

go to dinner

A simpler phrasing using "go" instead of "leave", focusing on the destination.

set off for dinner

Uses "set off" implying the start of a journey towards dinner.

be on one's way to dinner

Expresses the state of traveling towards dinner.

get going for dinner

Suggests initiating the process of leaving to have dinner.

step out for dinner

Highlights the act of exiting to go to dinner.

make for dinner

Implies a determined movement towards dinner.

retire for dinner

Indicates a formal withdrawal to have dinner.

absent oneself for dinner

A more elaborate way of saying someone is not present because they are at dinner.

FAQs

What does "leave for dinner" mean?

The phrase "leave for dinner" means to depart from a location with the intention of having dinner, typically at another place such as a restaurant or someone's home.

How can I use "leave for dinner" in a sentence?

You can say, "We should /s/depart+for+dinner soon if we want to make our reservation" or "They /s/headed+out+to+dinner after the meeting."

What are some alternatives to "leave for dinner"?

Some alternatives include /s/head+out+to+dinner, "go to dinner", or "set off for dinner", each with slightly different connotations.

Is it correct to say "leave to dinner" instead of "leave for dinner"?

No, "leave for dinner" is the correct and more common phrasing. "Leave to dinner" is grammatically incorrect.