Language: en
Meaning: Toleavequietlyandunnoticed, withoutaskingforpermissionorinforminganyone; toslip out.[from mid 18th c.]Synonyms:duck out,sneak out1771, [Tobias Smollett], “To Mrs. Mary Jones, at Brambleton-hall”, inThe Expedition of Humphry Clinker[…], volume II, London:[…]W. Johnston,[…]; and B. Collins,[…],→OCLC,page226:As for Ditton, after all his courting, and his compliment, he ſtole avvay an Iriſhman's bride, andtook a French leaveof me and his maſter;[…]1797July 20 (date delivered), Thomas Paine [i.e.,Robert Treat Paine],The Ruling Passion: An Occasional Poem.[…], Boston, Mass.:[…]Manning & Loring, for the author, published1797,→OCLC,page10:Thus through the vveary vvatch of ſleepleſs night, / This learned ploughman plods in piteous plight; / Till the dim tapertakes French leaveto doze, / And the fat folio tumbles on his toes.1822, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, inPeveril of the Peak.[…], volume II, Edinburgh:[…]Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co.,→OCLC,page279:What, Master Peveril, is this your foreign breeding? or have you learned in France totake French leaveof your friends?1824,Edward Allen Talbot, “Letter XXXV”, inFive Years’ Residence in the Canadas: Including a Tour through Part of the United States of America, in the Year 1823.[…], volume II, London:[…][James Nichols] forLongman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green,→OCLC,page244:[N]o sooner do European servants arrive in America, than, perceiving such an outcry aboutequalityandindependence, and learning the facilities which are afforded of otherwise procuring the means of existence, they immediately become ashamed of the fancied meanness of their station,take French leaveof their employers, and, procuring land for themselves, commence the occupation of farming on their own account.1919, Violet Irwin, chapter XXIV, inWits and the Woman, Boston, Mass.:Small, Maynard & Company,→OCLC,page270:Jimminy Crickets! The idea of what was about to become of all my things opened vistas. They’d think Itook French leavelacking spondulics. I’d talked about rubber, but never shown my certificates, and I’d been losing heavily in the Casino. The Baroness was busted!1931,Marcel Proust, “An Afternoon Party at the House of the Princesse de Guermantes”, inStephen Hudson[pseudonym; Sydney Schiff], transl.,Remembrance of Things Past: Volume XII: Time Regained, uniform edition, London:Chatto & Windus, published1941 (1960 printing),→OCLC,page352:As,taking French leave, she passed me, I bowed and she, taking my hand, fixed her round violet orbs upon me as if to say: "How long since we met, do let us talk of it next time."; (specifically,chieflymilitary,euphemistic)Todesertor betemporarilyabsentfromdutyorservicewithout permission; togoabsent without leave(AWOL).1829, [William Nugent Glascock], “The Return”, inSailors and Saints; or, Matrimonial Manœuvres.[…], volume II, London:Henry Colburn,[…],→OCLC,pages222–223: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 any leave, except for a few hours. Here was a disappointment with a vengeance. The first suggestion of the moment was one altogether unworthy of him, which was to incur the imputation of adopting Gallican habits, andtaking, what is known by the term, "French leave."1908,Elroy McKendree Avery, “WolfeandSaundersbefore Quebec”, inA History of the United States and Its People from Their Earliest Records to the Present Time, volume IV, Cleveland, Ohio: The Burrows Brothers Company,→OCLC,page269:In spite of threats and punishment, many Canadians[in the French army]deserted in order to care for their families and to provide food for the coming winter; more than two thousand are said thus to havetaken French leave.
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