In the 18th century, the French were casual in character and romantic in nature. They developed a habit of leaving without saying goodbye to the host when attending dinners and other social gatherings. On the other hand, the rule-abiding British disapproved of this behavior and referred to this French-invented act of leaving without notice as "French leave," which generally means "departing without warning, abandoning one's post, or slipping away." It was a derogatory term used sarcastically to criticize the French.