“Please do not leave your valuables unattended.”
There have been some items stolen from people's offices at work recently. You write this in a memo to remind everyone to lock up their important stuff.
Please do not leave your valuables unattended.
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Please do not (do something)
On public signs or instructions sent out to a general audience, you write requests in the simplest way: by asking "Please ___".
leave (something) unattended
To "leave something unattended" means to leave it somewhere where you aren't watching it. You use this phrase to talk about important things that you are supposed to watch carefully. For example, common phrases using "unattended" include:
- leave your children unattended
- leave your valuables unattended
- leave your vehicle unattended
The place where you're most likely to hear this is at the airport. There are always announcements and signs that say:
Never leave your bags unattended.
your valuables
"Your valuables" are personal items that have a high money value. Examples of "valuables" include your wallet, purse, jewelry, mobile phone, music player, etc.
"Valuables" are usually thought of as being small items, so although your car and your TV may be valuable, they are not considered "valuables".
People usually use the word "valuables" when talking about keeping them safe or preventing theft.