leof

Mi leoue lif urom þine luue ne schal me no þing to {} dealen 95 vor oðe is al ilong mi lif ⁊ eke min heale. vor þine luue i swinke ⁊ sike wel ilome vor þine luue ich ham ibrouht i {n} to þeoudome, vor þine luue ich uorsoc al þet me leof was. and ȝef ðe al mi suluen. looue lif iþench þu þes.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

Ne beo he na swa leof mon {;}   uorð he scal liðen.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

And alle vnþewes þu þe bi {} schune. so myht þu on þeode. leof beon in alle leode.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

Hængest wes þan kinge leof {;}   ⁊ him lindesaȝe ȝef. and he ȝæf horse {;}   madmes inoȝe.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

Rouwenne þe hende {;}   sat bi þan kinge. þe king heo ȝeorne biheold {;}   heo was him an heorte leof. ofte he heo custe {;}   ofte he heo clupte.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

Woden hehde þa hæhste laȝe {;}   an ure ælderne dæȝen. he heom wes leof {;}   æfne al swa heore lif.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

Þe faire Rowenne {;}   sat bi þan kinge. þe king hire ȝeorne bi {} heold {;}   ȝeo was him leof on heorte.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

Eng. leof-man, dear man, beloved, and Paramor, Fr. par amour, an example of an adverbial phrase that has become a noun.

The Romance of Names Ernest Weekley 1909

For instance, ancestors was ieldran; afterwards was eft; agreeable was leof; bake was abacan; beautiful was freolic; and boy was cnapa.

unknown title 2009

75 “Leman” (M.E. “lemman”, O.E. “leof mann”, ‘lief man’, i.e., ‘dear one’), ‘mistress’ in a bad sense.

The Nibelungenlied 2007