vbl. sb. [f. LEAVE sb.] The taking leave of a person; saying farewell; † parting speech.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 143. [He] passyt furth but leve-taking.
c. 1564. Lady Mary Sidney, Lett. to her Son, in Symonds, Sir P. Sidney (1889), 16. And for a final leave-taking for this time, see that you show yourself a loving obedient scholar to your good master.
1605. Shaks., Macb., II. iii. 150. And let vs not be daintie of leaue-taking, But shift away.
1838. Poe, A. G. Pym, xx. We had agreed … to pay a formal visit of leave-taking to the village.
attrib. 1796. Charlotte Smith, Marchmont, III. 256. Mrs. Glaston, without repeating the usual leave-taking compliments, departed.
1828. Lights & Shades, II. 182. The Captain urged Charles to deliver a final leavetaking letter to Emily.
