Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adverb Readily; willingly.
- adjective Beloved; dear.
- adjective Ready or willing.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Gladly; willingly.
- Beloved; pleasing; agreeable.
- Inclined; disposed; willing; having a preference.
- noun One beloved; a darling.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Same as
lif . - noun obsolete A dear one; a sweetheart.
- adverb Gladly; willingly; freely; -- now used only in the phrases, had as lief, and would as lief.
- adjective Obs., except in poetry. Dear; beloved.
- adjective obsolete Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable; preferable.
- adjective obsolete Willing; disposed.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective archaic
beloved ,dear ,agreeable - adjective archaic
willing - adverb archaic
Readily ,willingly .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adverb in a willing manner
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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I should have proposed, -- _with good_ lief, in the same sense, but that I cannot find _lief_ to be a substantive.
Notes to Shakespeare — Volume 01: Comedies Samuel Johnson 1746
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Souns like Matt madez menny frenz even in short lief, grate compliment tu him and tu yur reering uv him!
Houston, - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2009
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In short, we "believe" (note a root meaning of "belief" is "lief" -- which is wishful thinking) what we believe mostly because we have been massively socially/culturally programmed to have these beliefs.
The straight-jackets of humanity are socially conditioned and absolutized institutions. 2009
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Referring to the root of belief in Middle English (lief, meaning "wish"), he said that belief is a heartfelt wish that things be or turn out a certain way; in other words, there is a way things should be and a way they shouldn't be, and belief is a wish that they be the way they "should."
Ed Gurowitz, Ph.D.: Belief Is Easy, But Faith Takes Discipline 2010
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It's root word "lief" means a preference, desire or wish.
Blah, Blah! Technology wasmall 2010
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Item, we gyve as good as bequest unto my saied sister Jone xx.li. as good as all my wearing apparrell, to be paied as good as delivered inside of a singular yeare after my deceas; as good as we buck will as good as ready unto her a residence with thappurtenaunces in Stratford, wherein she dwelleth, for her naturall lief, underneath a yearlie lease of xij. d.
Archive 2009-11-01 admin 2009
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Item, we gyve as good as bequest unto my saied sister Jone xx.li. as good as all my wearing apparrell, to be paied as good as delivered inside of a singular yeare after my deceas; as good as we buck will as good as ready unto her a residence with thappurtenaunces in Stratford, wherein she dwelleth, for her naturall lief, underneath a yearlie lease of xij. d.
Philadelphia Reflections: Shakspere Society of Philadelphia admin 2009
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Er bekam zwanzig zum Leben für die Aufnahme eine Seven Eleven, obwohl die pakistanische Beamte das letzte Lachen verlor Schießen Heinrich in den Arsch, als er lief zur Tür.
Abendessen bei McDonalds Larry Strattner 2011
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But if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines.
George Heymont: Laying a Clear Dramatic Foundation George Heymont 2011
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Um… Can Ai taek owt an inshoruns awn ur lief b4 u do?
Itteh Bitteh Kitteh Kommiteh - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2010
minerva commented on the word lief
See also lieve.
January 4, 2008
bilby commented on the word lief
"FIRST and SECOND SERVANT: What, what, what? let's partake.
THIRD SERVANT: I would not be a Roman, of all nations; I had as lief be a condemned man."
- William Shakespeare, 'The Tragedy of Coriolanus'.
August 29, 2009
john commented on the word lief
I be lief this word is not used much anymore.
February 25, 2010