adverb
1.
gladly; willingly: I would as lief go south as not.
adjective Archaic.
2.
willing; desirous.
3.
dear; beloved; treasured.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English leef, Old English lēof; cognate with Dutch lief, German lieb, Old Norse ljufr, Gothic liufs; akin to love
before 900; Middle English leef, Old English lēof; cognate with Dutch lief, German lieb, Old Norse ljufr, Gothic liufs; akin to love
Related forms
lief·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To lief
00:10
Lief
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
lief (liːf) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adv | |
| 1. | rare gladly; willingly: I'd as lief go today as tomorrow |
| —adj | |
| 2. | archaic |
| a. ready; glad | |
| b. dear; beloved | |
| [Old English leof; related to lufu love] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
lief
O.E. leof "dear," from P.Gmc. *leubo- (cf. O.N. ljutr, O.Fris. liaf, O.H.G. liob, Ger. lieb, Goth. liufs "dear, beloved"), from PIE base *leubh- "love" (see love). A most useful word, now, alas, all but extinct. Want and love are overworked and misused to fill the hole left
in the language when this word faded in 17c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
