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French leave

noun

Definition of FRENCH LEAVE

:  an informal, hasty, or secret departure
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Origin of FRENCH LEAVE

from an 18th century French custom of leaving a reception without taking leave of the host or hostess
First Known Use: 1771

Rhymes with FRENCH LEAVE

Abib, achieve, aggrieve, believe, bereave, cap sleeve, conceive, deceive, frost heave, Hoccleve, inweave, khedive, motive, naive, perceive, pet peeve, plain weave, qui vive, receive, relieve, reprieve, retrieve, shirtsleeve, shore leave, sick leave, unreeve, unweave, upheave

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