leave to someone's own devices



leave to someone's own devices

Allow someone to do as he or she wishes. For example, Left to his own devices, he would hire someone to do the yard work. This expression, uses device in the sense of "a plan or scheme." [Late 1800s]
See also: device, leave, own

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Gheorghe-Romanian
Beelzebubbee-EL-zi-bub (English), BEEL-zi-bub (English)Biblical
Novak-Serbian
Maryloumer-ee-LOO, mar-ee-LOOEnglish
Haraldur-Icelandic
Priti-Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati