leave off

1. PHRASAL VERB

If someone or something is left off a list, they are not included on that list.

• She has been deliberately left off the guest list.
• The judge left Walsh's name off the list of those he wanted arrested.

2. PHRASAL VERB

If someone leaves off doing something, they stop doing it.

• We all left off eating and stood about with bowed heads.
• Some of the patients left off treatment.
• = stop

.... Cobuild

• I have to leave off working for a while so I can eat.
• I left off reading and went downstairs for supper.
• Mr. Summers finally left off talking and returned to his seat.
• We'll pick up the story where we left off yesterday.

... http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/leave+off

cf. 25. PHRASE : PHR after v, oft from PHR

If something continues from where it left off, it starts happening again at the point where it had previously stopped.

• As soon as the police disappear the violence will take up from where it left off.
• We'll pick up the story where we left off yesterday.