leaf

leaf

I

leaf¹ S2 W2 /liːf/ noun (plural leaves /liːvz/)
1.  PLANT  [countable] one of the flat green parts of a plant that are joined to its stem or branches:
    a flowering bush with large shiny leaves
    leaf of
    Add a few leaves of fresh basil to the salad.
    be in leaf/come into leaf (=have or start growing leaves, at a particular time of year)
    The forest was just coming into leaf.
2. take a leaf out of sb’s book to copy the way someone else behaves because you want to be like them or be as successful as they are:
    They are committing $3m to research. We could take a leaf out of their book.
3. turn over a new leaf to change the way you behave and become a better person:
    I see fatherhood as a chance to turn over a new leaf.
4.  PAGE  [countable] formal a page of a book:
    He slipped the letter between the leaves of his notebook. ⇨ loose-leaf, overleaf
5.  PART OF TABLE  [countable] a part of the top of a table that can be taken out to make the table smaller
⇨ shake like a leaf at shake¹(2)
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ the leaves turn red/brown etc (=become red, brown etc) The maple leaves had turned a fiery red.
   ▪ the leaves fall All the leaves had fallen off the tree.
   ▪ a tree loses/sheds its leaves (=the leaves come off the tree) Most trees shed their leaves in the autumn.
   ▪ sweep (up) the leaves (=tidy away fallen leaves using a brush) Jack was sweeping leaves in the back garden.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + leaf
   ▪ a green/brown/yellow etc leaf the deep green leaves of the coconut trees
   ▪ a dead leaf The ground beneath the tree was covered in dead leaves.
   ▪ fallen leaves (=that have fallen off the trees) The children were jumping in piles of fallen leaves.
   ▪ autumn leaves (also fall leaves American English) (=leaves that have changed colour or fallen in autumn) I love the colours of the autumn leaves.
   ▪ an oak/vine/spinach etc leaf (=a leaf from a specific plant or tree) Vine leaves stuffed with rice is a typical Greek dish.
■ phrases
   ▪ be in leaf especially literary (=have leaves) By this time, most of the trees were in leaf.
   ▪ come into leaf (=start having leaves) The apple tree had finally come into leaf.

II

leaf² verb
     
leaf through something phrasal verb
  to turn the pages of a book quickly, without reading it properly
   SYN  skim through:
    She picked up the magazine and leafed through it.