Lieve

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Lief \Lief\ (l[=e]f), a. [Written also {lieve}.] [OE. leef, lef,
     leof, AS. le['i]f; akin to OS. liof, OFries. liaf, D. lief,
     G. lieb, OHG. liob, Icel. lj?fr, Sw. ljuf, Goth. liubs, and
     E. love. [root]124. See {Love}, and cf. {Believe}, {Leave},
     n., {Furlough}, {Libidinous}.]
     1. Dear; beloved. [Obs., except in poetry.] "My liefe


        mother." --Chaucer. "My liefest liege." --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              As thou art lief and dear.            --Tennyson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2.
  
     Note: (Used with a form of the verb to be, and the dative of
           the personal pronoun.) Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable;
           preferable. [Obs.] See {Lief}, adv., and Had as lief,
           under {Had}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
                 Full lief me were this counsel for to hide.
                                                    --Chaucer.
           [1913 Webster]
  
                 Death me liefer were than such despite.
                                                    --Spenser.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Willing; disposed. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I am not lief to gab.                 --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He up arose, however lief or loth.    --Spenser.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Lieve \Lieve\ (l[=e]v), a.
     Same as {Lief}.
     [1913 Webster]