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/left/, adj.1. of, pertaining to, or located on or near the side of a person or thing that is turned toward the west when the subject is facing north (opposed to right).2. (often cap.) of or belonging to the political Left; having liberal or radical views in politics.3. Math. pertaining to an element of a set that has a given property when written on the left of an element or set of elements of the set: a left identity, as 1 in 1 · x = x.n.4. the left side or something that is on the left side.5. a turn toward the left: Make a left at the next corner.6. the Left,a. the complex of individuals or organized groups advocating liberal reform or revolutionary change in the social, political, or economic order.c. See left wing.7. (usually cap.) Govt.a. the part of a legislative assembly, esp. in continental Europe, that is situated on the left side of the presiding officer and that is customarily assigned to members of the legislature who hold more radical and socialistic views than the rest of the members.b. the members of such an assembly who sit on the left.8. Boxing. a blow delivered by the left hand.adv.10. toward the left: She moved left on entering the room.[1125-75; 1935-40 for def. 6; ME left, lift, luft, OE left idle, weak, useless, Kentish form of lyft- (in lyftadl palsy); c. D, LG lucht; akin to ME libbe (mod. dial. lib) to castrate, c. D, LG lubben]left2/left/, v.1. pt. and pp. of leave1.2. get left,a. to be left stranded.b. to miss an opportunity, objective, etc.
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In politics, the portion of the political spectrum associated in general with egalitarianism and popular or state control of the major institutions of political and economic life.The term dates from the 1790s, when in the French revolutionary parliament the socialist representatives sat to the presiding officer's left. Leftists tend to be hostile to the interests of traditional elites, including the wealthy and members of the aristocracy, and to favour the interests of the working class (see proletariat). They tend to regard social welfare as the most important goal of government. Socialism is the standard leftist ideology in most countries of the world; communism is a more radical leftist ideology.* * *
Universalium. 2010.