Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adv. Readily; willingly: I would as lief go now as later.
- adj. Archaic Beloved; dear.
- adj. Archaic Ready or willing.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Beloved; pleasing; agreeable.
- Inclined; disposed; willing; having a preference.
- n. One beloved; a darling.
- Gladly; willingly. Lief is peculiarly used (originally an adjective) in the constructions to have as lief, to have liefer (had as lief, had liefer or liever), etc. See under have.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Same as lif.
- adj. Dear; beloved.
- adj. Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable; preferable.
- adj. Willing; disposed.
- n. A dear one; a sweetheart.
- adv. Gladly; willingly; freely; -- now used only in the phrases, had as lief, and would as lief.
WordNet 3.0
- adv. in a willing manner
Etymologies
- Middle English leve, lef, dear, willingly, from Old English lēof, dear; see leubh- in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“I should have proposed, -- _with good_ lief, in the same sense, but that I cannot find _lief_ to be a substantive.”
“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?
“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.
“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.”
The Huffington Post: Ed Gurowitz, Ph.D.: Belief Is Easy, But Faith Takes Discipline
“It's root word "lief" means a preference, desire or wish.”
“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.”
“But if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines.”
The Huffington Post: George Heymont: Laying a Clear Dramatic Foundation
“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.”
“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?
“Hoep it goez well – tho teh cheezmeets Ai haz been 2 aer amayzin – juss liek u haz noed dem awl ur lief!”
Some days - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
Lists
‘lief’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
john I be lief this word is not used much anymore. Feb 25, 2010
bilby "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'. Aug 28, 2009
minerva See also lieve. Jan 4, 2008