leave over

USAGE SUMMARY

"leave over" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It typically means to save or set aside something for future use or consideration. Example: After dinner, I always like to leave over some leftovers for lunch the next day. In this sentence, "leave over" is used to indicate that some of the food from dinner will not be eaten immediately, but will be saved for later. Another example: I have to leave over some of my work until tomorrow because I ran out of time today. In this example, "leave over" is used to show that the speaker did not complete all of their work and will need to save some for the following day.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

All my problems, I leave over there".

The New York Times

Maryland was not the first market that Uber threatened to leave over fingerprinting.

The Washington Post

In his first pre-season press conference, Poyet had threatened to leave over what he saw as broken promises and uncertainty amid a proposed takeover.

The Guardian - Sport

People will leave over time.

WikiHow

Would he leave over money?

The New York Times - Sports

Will veterans like Iverson and Wallace leave over the summer?

The New York Times

Four other nations are to leave over the next year.

The New York Times

"We waited for the tenants to leave over the years," Dr. Roberts says.

The New York Times

I was a director of Millwall but I had to leave over a conflict of interest".

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

McGregor-Smith said: "I made the decision [to leave] over a year ago and the board has been looking at succession.

The Guardian - Business

The purpose in sharing these examples is to illustrate what military service can entail, and the scars it can leave -- over a lifetime.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "leave over" to describe food, ensure clarity by specifying what is being left over, such as "leave over some stew" rather than simply "leave over".

Common error

Avoid using "leave over" when you actually mean "leave out" or "omit". "Leave over" implies saving something for later, while "leave out" means to exclude.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "leave over" primarily functions as a phrasal verb. It describes the action of preserving a portion of something for future use or consideration. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "leave over" is a phrasal verb that denotes saving a portion for later use. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct, although somewhat less frequent in modern usage. It appears across a variety of contexts, from news articles to lifestyle blogs, with a neutral tone. For more formal situations, "set aside" or "reserve" may serve as better alternatives. Remember to specify what is being left over to avoid ambiguity, and avoid using "leave over" when you mean "leave out".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

save for later

Directly indicates keeping something to be used at a future time.

put aside

Similar to "set aside", emphasizing the act of moving something for future use.

set aside

Focuses on reserving something for a specific future use.

keep in reserve

Highlights maintaining a supply for future needs.

reserve

Implies keeping something back for later.

keep back

Similar to "hold back", indicating retaining something from current use.

store up

Suggests accumulating something for future use.

hold back

Suggests withholding something for a specific purpose later.

retain

Focuses on keeping possession of something.

maintain

Implies preserving something in its current state for ongoing use.

FAQs

How can I use "leave over" in a sentence?

You can use "leave over" to describe saving a portion of something for later use, like "I always "leave over" some food from dinner for lunch the next day".

What is a good substitute for "leave over"?

Alternatives to "leave over" include "set aside", "save for later", or "keep in reserve" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "leave over the food"?

Yes, it is correct, though more common to say ""leave over" some of the food" for clarity. Both usages imply that a portion is being saved.

What's the difference between ""leave over"" and "leave out"?

"Leave over" means to reserve or save something for later, while "leave out" means to omit or exclude something. They have opposite meanings.