Definition
To leave someone or something behind, or to let someone do something.
Example
Ho lasciato le chiavi sul tavolo stamattina.
Show translation
I left the keys on the table this morning.
Etymology
From Latin *laxāre* ("to loosen, release"), from *laxus* ("loose, slack"). The shift from "releasing" to "leaving behind" happened naturally in Vulgar Latin as the word replaced classical *relinquere* in everyday speech.
Cultural note
*Lasciare* does a lot of heavy lifting in Italian. It covers "to leave a place or person" (*lasciare Roma*, *lasciare il fidanzato*), "to let/allow" (*lasciami parlare* — let me speak), and "to leave something somewhere" (*lasciare un messaggio*). English speakers often reach for *partire* or *permettere* in these cases — resist the urge. Also note the idiom **lasciare perdere** ("let it go / forget it"), extremely common in everyday conversation.