lave

¹ American  

[layv] / 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  

[layv] / leɪv /

noun

Scot.

1. the remainder; the rest.

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lave ³ American  

[layv] / 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

• unlaved
  adjective
• unlaving
  adjective

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lave laved laving

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

In the bidding battle for Conoco alone, they note, the contestants lave lined up some $20 billion in standby bank credit.

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

Back at the Aiden house, the Shabbat dinner guests have all laved their hands with a glass of water and returned to the sun deck for matzo-ball soup.

From Nature ● Jun. 22, 2011

To prepare the quadruped idols for the worshiping throng, handlers laved them in exotic ceremonies.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the freshmen have always laved the temples afterward until they shone pristine and classic as before.

From Time Magazine Archive

But let a Silver Shadow come humming along, and our hollow faces will suddenly be laved in an involuntary beatific glow, like the Ancient Mariner just before the bird dropped.

From Time Magazine Archive

As for Treebeard, he first laved his feet in the basin beyond the arch, and then he drained his bowl at one draught, one long, slow draught.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Phil wasn't there at the time; but he heerd it afterwards, and come up to the tent, as young Mr. Leslie was laving it, and stood before him and wouldn't let him pass.

From St. Patrick's Eve by Charles James Lever

And beneath him gulphs are yawning, Greedy to devour, are gaping; Torrents deep within them roaring, Lashing up their foamy billows; With the laving of their forces All the pathway shakes and trembles.

From A Leaf from the Old Forest by John D. Cossar

They had sacked Urumtsi, and were laving close siege to Manas.

From The Life of Yakoob Beg Athalik Ghazi, and Badaulet; Ameer of Kashgar by Demetrius Charles Boulger

There through the summer day Cool streams are laving: There, while the tempests sway, Scarce are boughs waving; There thy rest shalt thou take, Parted for ever, Never again to wake Never, O never!

From The Golden Treasury Selected from the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language and arranged with Notes by Various

Gracious glory—no! why he was laving this for good and all this night.

From The Macdermots of Ballycloran by Anthony Trollope

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