make like a tree and leave

verb

"make-like-a-tree-and-leave" is a 21-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“make like a tree and leave” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
26
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To leave, depart.

Key facts for make like a tree and leave
PropertyValue
Headwordmake like a tree and leave
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters26
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “make like a tree and leave” sits in English frequency

make like a tree and leave falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for make like a tree and leave is 26 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To leave, depart.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for make like a tree and leave in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: A pun on leave (“depart”) and leave (“produce leaves”) (or its more common variant, leaf). The correct English form is make like a tree and leave, spelled M-A-K-E- -L-I-K-E- -A- -T-R-E-E- -A-N-D- -L-E-A-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To leave, depart.

Etymology

A pun on leave (“depart”) and leave (“produce leaves”) (or its more common variant, leaf).

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "make like a tree and leave"?
"make like a tree and leave" is spelled M-A-K-E- -L-I-K-E- -A- -T-R-E-E- -A-N-D- -L-E-A-V-E.
What does "make like a tree and leave" mean?
As a verb, "make like a tree and leave" means: To leave, depart.
What is the origin of the word "make like a tree and leave"?
A pun on leave (“depart”) and leave (“produce leaves”) (or its more common variant, leaf). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “make like a tree and leave”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-K-E- -L-I-K-E- -A- -T-R-E-E- -A-N-D- -L-E-A-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list