take French leave
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take French leave
- /ˌteɪk fɹɛnt͡ʃ ˈliːv/ UK
- /ˌteɪk fɹɛnt͡ʃ ˈliv/ US
Rhymes with -iːv
Where it comes from
From take + French leave, apparently from a French custom, already recorded in the 18th century, of leaving from receptions or other events without formally announcing one’s departure to the host or hostess.
verb takes French leave · taking French leave · took French leave · taken French leave · take a French leave
- To leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone; to slip out. As for Ditton, after all his courting, and his compliment, he ſtole avvay an Iriſhman's bride, and took a French leave of me and his maſter; […]
- To desert or be temporarily absent from duty or service without permission; to go absent without leave (AWOL). That officer […] reminded Burton of the necessity there was that all the officers of the Spitfire should hold themselves in readiness, as a court-martial was sure to be ordered relative to the loss of that ship: that order might possibly be telegraphed down, and he must therefore decline granting an
Translations
Every language
verb to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
| Español | despedirse a la francesa, irse a la francesa |
|---|---|
| Português | sair à francesa, sair de fininho |
| Français | filer à l’anglaise |
| Deutsch | französischen Abschied nehmen, sich auf Französisch empfehlen, einen Polnischen machen |
| Italiano | andarsene alla chetichella, filarsela all'inglese |
| Ελληνικά | στρίβω αλά γαλλικά strívo alá galliká |
| Română | o șterge englezește |
Talk about this word "take French leave." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/take%20french%20leave. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. take French leave. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/take%20french%20leave "take French leave." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/take%20french%20leave.Cite this
@misc{take_french_leave_2026,
title = {take French leave},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/take%20french%20leave},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
