lief
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English lef, leve, leef, from Old English lēof, from Proto-West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic *leubaz.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian ljo, ljoo, West Frisian leaf, Dutch lief, German Low German leev, German lieb, Swedish and Norwegian Nynorsk ljuv, Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌿𐍆𐍃 (liufs), Russian любо́вь (ljubóvʹ), Polish luby.
For the adverb, compare German lieber, Dutch liever (“preferably, rather”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /liːf/
Audio (UK) (file)
- Rhymes: -iːf
- Homophone: leaf
Adjective
lief (comparative liefer or liever, superlative liefest or lievest)
- (archaic) Beloved, dear, agreeable.
- (archaic) Ready, willing.
Synonyms
- (beloved): See Thesaurus:beloved
Derived terms
- liefsome
Related terms
- alderliefest
- leman
- livelong
Translations
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Adverb
lief (comparative liefer or liever, superlative liefest)
- (archaic) Readily, willingly, rather.
- 1826, Thomas Byerly, John Timbs, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction:
- As far as physiognomy goes, the winners protest that they would as lief have foregone the double points, and the money.
- 1869, RD Blackmoore, Lorna Doone, II:
- these great masters of the art, who would far liefer see us little ones practice it, than themselves engage [...].
- 1880, Richard Francis Burton, Os Lusíadas, volume II, page 339:
- Since sware the Parcæ unto me, their friend, / they shall adore my name, my favour prize; / and, as their feats of armèd prowess shend / all feats of rival Rome, I lief devise / some mode of aidance in what things I may, / far as our force o'er man extendeth sway.
- 1902: "Corner in Chrysanthemums" by Josephine Spenser
- I'd as lief put on my hat and cane and help you if you think they'll be too heavy.
- I'd as lief have one as t'other.
- 1826, Thomas Byerly, John Timbs, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction:
Derived terms
- liefer/liever
Translations
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Noun
lief (uncountable)
- Alternative form of lif
Quotations
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:lief.
Anagrams
- File, Life, file, filé, flie, life
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch lief, from Old Dutch *liof, from Proto-Germanic *leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /lif/, [lif]
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: lief
- Rhymes: -if
Adjective
lief (comparative liever, superlative liefst)
- nice, sweet
- Synonym: aardig
- beloved
Inflection
| Inflection of lief | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uninflected | lief | |||
| inflected | lieve | |||
| comparative | liever | |||
| positive | comparative | superlative | ||
| predicative/adverbial | lief | liever | het liefst het liefste | |
| indefinite | m./f. sing. | lieve | lievere | liefste |
| n. sing. | lief | liever | liefste | |
| plural | lieve | lievere | liefste | |
| definite | lieve | lievere | liefste | |
| partitive | liefs | lievers | — | |
Derived terms
- lieflijk
- lieveling
Related terms
- liefde
- liefhebben
Descendants
- Negerhollands: lief
- → Papiamentu: lif
Noun
lief n (plural lieven, diminutive liefje n)
- one's beloved in a romantic relationship, i.e. a boyfriend or girlfriend
Usage notes
- May be used as a term of address, particularly the diminutive liefje and the related substantivized superlative liefste.
See also
- liever
- liefde
Anagrams
- file
German
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [liːf]
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -iːf
Verb
lief
- first/third-person singular preterite of laufen
Luxembourgish
Verb
lief
- second-person singular imperative of liewen
Middle Dutch
Etymology
From Old Dutch *liof, from Proto-West Germanic *leub.
Adjective
lief
- loved, dear
- sweet, nice
Inflection
This adjective needs an inflection-table template.
Derived terms
- lieven
Descendants
- Dutch: lief
- Limburgish: leef
Further reading
- “lief (III)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “lief (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
Norman
Alternative forms
- lyef (Sark)
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Noun
lief m (plural liefs)
- (Jersey) roof
Old Frisian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈli̯ɛːf/
Adjective
liēf
- Old West Frisian form of liāf
References
- Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 115
Old Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈljeɸ]
Adjective
lief (plural lieues)
- Apocopic form of lieue; light, effortless
- c. 1200, Almerich, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 42v.
- ca aſſi diz el criador. fazed en eſta torriente muchos pozos enó ueredes pluuia nj uiéto en conplir ſea eſta torriente de agua. beuredes uos e uŕas beſtias lief coſa es eſta delant el ćador […]
- “For thus says the Creator, ‘Make in this streambed many ditches. And you will see neither rain nor wind, but this streambed will be filled with water. You and your beasts will drink. This is a light thing before the Creator […] .’”
- c. 1200, Almerich, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 42v.
Scots
Alternative forms
- (contracted) lee
Etymology
From Middle English lef.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [lif]
Adjective
lief (comparative liefer, superlative liefest)
- dear, beloved
Yola
Alternative forms
- life
Etymology
From Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic *līb.
Noun
lief
- life
References
- Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, page 54
Zealandic
Etymology
From Middle Dutch lijf, from Old Dutch līf, from Proto-West Germanic *līb.
Adjective
lief n (plural [please provide])
- body