take French leave

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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˌteɪk fɹɛnt͡ʃ ˈliːv/
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• General-American: /ˌteɪk fɹɛnt͡ʃ ˈliv/
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• General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• rhymes with -iːv
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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.

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Czech: zmizet po anglicku — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Finnish: lähteä ilmoittamatta — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Finnish: poistua ilmoittamatta — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• French: filer à l’anglaise — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Galician: irse á Francesa — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Galician: marchar á Francesa — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• German: französischen Abschied nehmen — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• German: sich auf Französisch empfehlen — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• German: einen Polnischen machen — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Greek: στρίβω αλά γαλλικά (strívo alá galliká) — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Hungarian: angolosan távozik — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Italian: andarsene alla chetichella — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Italian: filarsela all'inglese — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Polish: wyjść po angielsku — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Portuguese: sair à francesa — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Portuguese: sair de fininho — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Romanian: o șterge englezește — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Spanish: despedirse a la francesa — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Spanish: irse a la francesa — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Sundanese: ngelesed — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Ukrainian: піти по-англійськи — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Walloon: spiter a l' inglesse — to leave quietly and unnoticed, without asking for permission or informing anyone — see also slip out
• Finnish: lähteä bundelle — to desert or be temporarily absent from duty or service without permission
• Finnish: lähteä puntikselle — to desert or be temporarily absent from duty or service without permission
• Finnish: puntata — to desert or be temporarily absent from duty or service without permission