leaving behind

Verb

leave behind (third-person singular simple present leaves behind, present participle leaving behind, simple past and past participle left behind)

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To abandon.
   • We left behind our luggage at the hotel.
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To forget about.
   • We (accidentally) left behind our bags at the airport.
3. (idiomatic, transitive) To not live longer than; to be survived by.
   • Mrs Johnston died at thirty, and left behind three young daughters.
4. (idiomatic, transitive) To leave (a trace of something).
   • The wound I got in my car accident left behind a massive scar.
5. (idiomatic, transitive) To outdo; to progress faster than (someone or something else).
   • This product leaves behind all its competitors in the market.
6. (idiomatic, transitive) To pass.
   • As soon as we made our way onto the highway, we left the skyscrapers behind us.

See all 7 meanings of leave behind