Dic: be left over

• There is no reason to assume that deflation itself anything but a secondary phenomenon induced by the maladjustments of industry left over from  the boom. 
• So much income is devoted to monthly mortgage payments that nothing is left over.
• There was lots of food left over.
• There was some material left over when I'd finished making the dress.
• After we've paid the bills, there's never much left over.

* * *

■ If there is a certain amount of something left over, or if you have it left over, it remains when the rest has gone or been used.

• So much income is devoted to monthly mortgage payments that nothing is left over. 
• ...a large bucket of cut flowers left over from the wedding.

■ be left over (from something): to remain when all that is needed has been used

• There was lots of food left over.

■ cf. leftover [noun/adj]

1. [usually plural] food that has not been eaten at the end of a meal.
2. an object, a custom, or a way of behaving that remains from an earlier time(= relic).

• He's a leftover from the hippies in the 1960s.
• Use any leftover turkey to make soup.

■ leave: [transitive often passive] to not use something:

• I hope you've left enough hot water for me to have a bath. 
• How much time is there left? 
• We don't have much money left. [have something left]
• There was some material left over when I'd finished making the dress. [be left over]

 _(a) to not eat or drink something:

• You've left half your dinner didn't you like it? 
• Leave some cake for the rest of us! [leave sb sth; leave sth for sb]

 _(b) to not use an area of something:

• Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. [leave a space/gap]

■ be left (also have sth left): if something is left, it remains after everything else has gone, been taken away, or used.

• I've only got a few dollars left. 
• There were a couple of seats left at the back.
• We don't have much time left.
• He pointed to what was left of the house (=used when very little is left).
• All that was left was a pile of bones.
• After we've paid the bills, there's never much left over. [be left over]
• They ate some bread rolls left over from the night before. [be left over]

■ leave: If something leaves something else, a part or effect of it stays after it has gone or been used:

• His shoes left muddy marks on the floor.
• There's some food left over from the party.
• If I give you ￡10 that won't leave me enough cash to pay the bill. [+ two objects] 
• Far from improving things the new law has left many people worse off (= they are now in a worse situation) than before. [+ object + adjective] 

.... COBUILD, OALD, Macmillan, LDOCE, CALD