lave

¹ American  

[leyv] / leɪv /

verb (used with object)

laved, laving

1. to wash; bathe.

2. (of a river, sea, etc.) to flow along, against, or past; wash.

3. Obsolete. to ladle; pour or dip with a ladle.

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verb (used without object)

laved, laving

1. Archaic. to bathe.

lave ² American  

[leyv] / leɪv /

noun

Scot.

1. the remainder; the rest.

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lave ³ American  

[leyv] / leɪv /

adjective

British.

1. (of ears) large and drooping.

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lave British  

/ leɪv /

verb

1. an archaic word for wash

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unlaving
  adjective
• unlaved
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of lave¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English laven “to wash, bathe, moisten,” partly from Old French laver, from Latin lavāre “to wash, bathe”; partly from Old English lafian “to pour water on, wash,” gelafian “to wash, lave, refresh,” itself perhaps from Latin lavāre

Origin of lave²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English love, lave, loave, Old English lāf “remnant, remains”; cognate with Old High German leiba, Old Norse leif, Gothic laiba; akin to leave ¹

Origin of lave³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; special use of lave ¹

Example Sentences

In 2023 it brokered a deal between bitter rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, which lave long stood on opposing sides in proxy wars in the Middle East.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The eruption eased pressure that had been building under a lave dome perched on the crater.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2021

Khalid Thomas, Elias Valtonen and walk-on Kyle Feit all played sporadically, but their transfers lave Hurley with a thin roster, particularly if White and Martin don’t return.

From Washington Times • Apr. 1, 2020

A times, it seems that Bryant can lave the same effect on the whole state of Alabama.

From Time Magazine Archive

Despite the fact that I hated hem, Denna’s men taught me a lesson that I might never lave learned otherwise.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss