leave someone holding the baby Definition

leave¹
verb left, leaving

intr
1. To go away from someone or somewhere.

Thesaurus: depart, exit, move, move out, move away, go away, relocate, set out, decamp.
2. To allow something to remain behind, especially by mistake.

Example: left the keys at home
3. To move out of somewhere.
4. To abandon.

Thesaurus: abandon, quit, walk out on, jilt, desert, forsake.
intr
5. To resign or quit.
6. To allow someone or something to remain in a particular state or condition.

Example: leave the window open
7. To deliver to or deposit with someone.

Example: I'll leave the keys with a neighbour
8. To cause.

Example: It may leave a scar
9. To have as a remainder.

Example: Three minus one leaves two
10. To make a gift of something in a will.

Example: left all her money to charity
Thesaurus: bequeath, allot, assign, entrust, will.
11. To be survived by.

Example: leaves a wife and daughter
12. To cause (especially food or drink) to remain unfinished.

Example: She left half her dinner
13. To hand or turn something over to someone else.

Example: left the driving to her

Idiom: be left with

To be burdened with.
Example: He was left with a huge bill

Idiom: leave someone or something be

To allow them or it to remain unchanged.

To leave them or it alone.

Idiom: leave for dead

To abandon someone who is assumed to be dead.

Idiom: leave go

colloq
To let go.

Idiom: leave someone holding the baby

To abandon them to an unpleasant task or fate.

Idiom: leave someone in the lurch

See under lurch².

Idiom: leave it at that

To take no further action, make no more comment on, etc.

Idiom: leave it out!

slang
Stop it!

Idiom: leave little to be desired (leave much to be desired)

To be slightly or very inadequate or unsatisfactory.

Idiom: leave something unsaid

To hold back from saying it.

Idiom: leave well alone

To refrain from interfering with something, especially when it is functioning adequately.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon læfan to remain.

Phrasal Verb: leave someone or something alone

To allow them or it to remain undisturbed.

Phrasal Verb: leave someone or something behind

To go without taking them or it, either intentionally or accidently.To outdistance them.

Phrasal Verb: leave for somewhere

To set out for a place.

Phrasal Verb: leave off something

To stop doing it.

Phrasal Verb: leave something on

To leave it switched on, usually by mistake.

Phrasal Verb: leave someone or something out

To exclude or omit it or them.