obtained leave

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "obtained leave" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts where someone has received permission to be absent from work or school. For example: "She obtained leave to attend her sister's wedding." Alternative expressions include "secured leave" and "granted leave."

Encyclopedias

Academia

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

On October 12 he obtained leave from the Convention and left for his native town.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Having obtained leave and two years' salary from the king and money and letters of recommendation from Olivares, he sailed from Barcelona to Genoa in August 1629.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In 1931 Wrinch obtained leave from Oxford to study biology, which she pursued at universities and laboratories in London, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Estrada obtained leave under part three of the 1984 Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act to apply for financial relief in England, because she could not bring a case in Saudi Arabia.

The Guardian

The result of this measure was that de Valera and his party decided to attend sessions in the Dáil, and, since this greatly altered the parliamentary situation, Cosgrave obtained leave to dissolve the assembly and hold a general election.

Britannica

Ádám obtained leave of absence from his post and took Franz to Vienna, where he had piano lessons with Carl Czerny, a composer and pianist who had been a pupil of Ludwig van Beethoven, and studied composition with Antonio Salieri, the musical director at the Viennese court.

Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

A wide anastomosis is obtained, leaving the posterior wall as a conduit for bile, ensuring an adequate anastomotic diameter.

Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

High lignin (75 93%) and xylan (83 100%) removal from biomass were obtained, leaving solid pulp rich in glucan (78 94%).

Bioresource Technology

Lethal injection drugs are increasingly difficult to obtain, and Arkansas authorities say they are unsure if more can be obtained, leaving unclear when the next execution might occur in the state.

The Washington Post

Objective: To assess the accuracy of aortic valve area (AVA) calculations using the continuity equation with data obtained from the double envelope (DE) (simultaneously obtained left ventricular outflow tract [V1]) and aortic valve [V2] velocities) during intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).

Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia

We obtained left- and right-fractional conformable integrals.

Advances in Difference Equations

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context: in military or historical accounts, "obtained leave" is standard, while in modern corporate settings, "was granted a leave of absence" might be more descriptive.

Common error

Writers sometimes confuse the noun use of 'leave' (meaning permission) with the verb 'to leave' (to depart). In the phrase "obtained leave", leave is a noun. Avoid adding a preposition like 'from' immediately after 'obtained' unless you are specifying the source of the leave, such as 'obtained leave from the director'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "obtained leave" functions as a transitive verb phrase where 'obtained' is the past participle of the verb 'obtain' and 'leave' acts as a non-count noun signifying permission for absence. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it consistently appears in historical and legal narratives to denote the official acquisition of time off.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

45%

Academia

25%

News & Media

20%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

General Wiki

3%

Personal Correspondence

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "obtained leave" is a robust and grammatically correct formal expression used to describe the act of receiving official permission for an absence. Ludwig AI data shows its prevalence in historical contexts—ranging from French revolutionaries like Danton to artists like Velázquez—and modern legal applications. The phrase is highly authoritative and should be favored in contexts where the formality of the permission is as important as the absence itself. While alternatives like "secured leave" or "was granted leave" are available, "obtained leave" remains a precise and concise choice for professional narratives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

obtained leave of absence

The full, more descriptive version of the phrase.

was granted leave

Emphasizes the formal approval from a superior or authority.

secured leave

Suggests a degree of effort or process required to obtain the absence.

received permission

A more general term that applies to broader contexts beyond employment or military service.

procured leave

Slightly more archaic or formal than obtained.

took a leave of absence

Focuses on the action of starting the leave rather than the act of obtaining it.

obtained authorization

Uses more technical or bureaucratic language.

requested and received leave

Specifies both the application and the approval stages.

got leave

A more informal or colloquial version of the phrase.

was authorized to take leave

Detailed phrasing often found in official documentation.

FAQs

How do I use "obtained leave" in a sentence?

You can use it to show that someone received formal permission to be away, such as: "He "obtained leave of absence" from his military post to visit his family."

What is the difference between "obtained leave" and "took leave"?

"Obtained leave" focuses on the act of getting permission, whereas "took leave" suggests the person has actually started their period of absence.

Is "obtained leave" formal?

Yes, it is considered a formal expression. In casual settings, you might say someone "got time off" instead.

Can I say "obtained a leave"?

While "obtained leave" is the most common idiomatic form, "obtained a leave of absence" is also grammatically correct and frequently used in academic and legal contexts.