TO TAKE FRENCH LEAVE, verb. phr. (colloquial).—(1) To decamp without notice; (2) to do anything without permission; (3) to purloin or steal; (4) to run away (as from an enemy). [Derivation obscure; FRENCH, probably traceable to the contempt engendered during the wars with France; the compliment is returned in similar expressions (see Synonyms) + LEAVE = departure or permission to depart. Sense 1 is probably the origin of senses 2, 3, and 4. See Notes and Queries, 1 S. i, 246; 3 S. vi, 17; 5 S. xii, 87; 6 S. v, 347, 496; viii, 514; ix, 133, 213, 279; 7 S. iii, 5, 109, 518.]
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.—To retire up (one’s fundament); to slope; to smouge; to do a sneak; to take the Frenchman; to vamoose.
FRENCH SYNONYMS.—S’escarpiner (popular: = to flash one’s pumps; escarpin = a dancing shoe; jouer de l’escarpin = to ply one’s pumps (16th century); s’échapper, s’esquiver, filer, disparaître, s’éclipser, se dérober, se retirer, and s’en aller à l’anglaise (= to take English leave); pisser à l’anglaise (= to do an English piss, i.e., affect a visit to the urinal); prendre sa permission sous son coude (popular: literally to take one’s leave under one’s arm); ficher or foutre le camp.
GERMAN SYNONYMS.—Französischen Abschied nehmen (= to take French leave: from GUTZKOW, R., 4, 88, etc., 1811–1878); französischer Abschied (IFFLAND, 1759–1814, 5, 3, 117); auf gut französisch sich empfehlen (BLUMAUER, 2, 72, 1758–1798: also GUTZKOW, R., 4, 88); hinter der Thur urlaub (= to take leave behind [or outside] the door, i.e., after one has got outside it: quoted by SANDERS, from FISCHART, 1546–1590); hinter der Thüre Abschied nehmen (= to say good-bye outside, to take French leave); also, er beurlaubte sich in aller Stille, explained as er stahl sich, schlich sich davon, and translated ‘he took French leave’; also, sich aus einer Gesellschaft stehlen.—HILPERT’S Dictionary, 1845.
SPANISH SYNONYM.—Despedirse á la francesa (= to take French leave).
1771. SMOLLETT, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker, p. 54. He stole away an Irishman’s bride, and took a FRENCH LEAVE of me and his master.
1805. Newspaper (quoted in Notes and Queries, 5, S. xii., 2 Aug., 79, p. 87, col. 2). On Thursday last Monsieur J. F. Desgranche, one of the French prisoners of war on parole at Chesterfield, took FRENCH LEAVE of that place, in defiance of his parole engagement.
1854. F. E. SMEDLEY, Harry Coverdale’s Courtship, ch. lviii. ‘I thought I would avoid all the difficulties … by taking FRENCH LEAVE, and setting off in disguise and under a feigned name.’
1885. R. L. STEVENSON, Treasure Island, ch. xxii., p. 178 (1886). My only plan was to take FRENCH LEAVE, and slip out when nobody was watching.
1892. Globe, 25 March, p. 5, col. 1. They finally resolved to go on FRENCH LEAVE to the place.
