French leave
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
French \French\ (fr[e^]nch), prop. a. [AS. frencisc, LL.
franciscus, from L. Francus a Frank: cf. OF. franceis,
franchois, fran[,c]ois, F. fran[,c]ais. See {Frank}, a., and
cf. {Frankish}.]
Of or pertaining to France or its inhabitants.
[1913 Webster]
{French bean} (Bot.), the common kidney bean ({Phaseolus
vulgaris}).
{French berry} (Bot.), the berry of a species of buckthorn
({Rhamnus catharticus}), which affords a saffron, green or
purple pigment.
{French casement} (Arch.) See {French window}, under
{Window}.
{French chalk} (Min.), a variety of granular talc; -- used
for drawing lines on cloth, etc. See under {Chalk}.
{French cowslip} (Bot.) The {Primula Auricula}. See
{Bear's-ear}.
{French fake} (Naut.), a mode of coiling a rope by running it
backward and forward in parallel bends, so that it may run
freely.
{French honeysuckle} (Bot.) a plant of the genus {Hedysarum}
({H. coronarium}); -- called also {garland honeysuckle}.
{French horn}, a metallic wind instrument, consisting of a
long tube twisted into circular folds and gradually
expanding from the mouthpiece to the end at which the
sound issues; -- called in France {cor de chasse}.
{French leave}, an informal, hasty, or secret departure;
esp., the leaving a place without paying one's debts.
{French pie} [French (here used in sense of "foreign") + pie
a magpie (in allusion to its black and white color)]
(Zool.), the European great spotted woodpecker ({Dryobstes
major}); -- called also {wood pie}.
{French polish}.
(a) A preparation for the surface of woodwork, consisting of
gums dissolved in alcohol, either shellac alone, or
shellac with other gums added.
(b) The glossy surface produced by the application of the
above.
{French purple}, a dyestuff obtained from lichens and used
for coloring woolen and silken fabrics, without the aid of
mordants. --Ure.
{French red} rouge.
{French rice}, amelcorn.
{French roof} (Arch.), a modified form of mansard roof having
a nearly flat deck for the upper slope.
{French tub}, a dyer's mixture of protochloride of tin and
logwood; -- called also {plum tub}. --Ure.
{French window}. See under {Window}.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Leave \Leave\, n. [OE. leve, leave, AS. le['a]f; akin to le['o]f
pleasing, dear, E. lief, D. oorlof leave, G. arlaub, and
erlauben to permit, Icel. leyfi. [root]124. See {Lief}.]
1. Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is
removed; permission; allowance; license.
[1913 Webster]
David earnestly asked leave of me. --1 Sam. xx.
6.
[1913 Webster]
No friend has leave to bear away the dead. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
2. The act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a
leaving; farewell; adieu; -- used chiefly in the phrase,
to take leave, i. e., literally, to take permission to go.
[1913 Webster]
A double blessing is a'double grace;
Occasion smiles upon a second leave. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while,
and then took his leave of the brethren. --Acts
xviii. 18.
[1913 Webster]
{French leave}. See under {French}.
Syn: See {Liberty}.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
45 Moby Thesaurus words for "French leave":
AWOL, abscondence, absence, absence without leave, absentation,
absenteeism, absenting, absquatulation, bolt, cut, day off,
decampment, default, departure, desertion, disappearance,
disappearing act, elopement, escape, excused absence, exit,
fleeing, flight, fugitation, furlough, hasty retreat, hegira,
holiday, hooky, leave, leave of absence, leaving, nonappearance,
nonattendance, quick exit, running away, sabbatical leave,
scramming, sick leave, skedaddle, skedaddling, truancy, truantism,
unexcused absence, vacation
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