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lief

[leef]

adverb

  1. gladly; willingly.

    I would as lief go south as not.



adjective

Archaic.
  1. willing; desirous.

  2. dear; beloved; treasured.

lief

/ liːf /

adverb

  1. rare,  gladly; willingly

    I'd as lief go today as tomorrow

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. archaic

    1. ready; glad

    2. dear; beloved

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • liefly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lief1

First recorded before 900; Middle English leef, Old English lēof; cognate with Dutch lief, German lieb, Old Norse ljufr, Gothic liufs; akin to love
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lief1

Old English leof; related to lufu love
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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Jha made clear his lief that Americans will still face "hard" times over the next few weeks.

Read more on Fox News

You don’t get anywhere in lief without a bit of pain sometimes.

Read more on The Guardian

I bad as lief seek oat the nearest grotesquerie.

Read more on Literature

What if they had all been instructed: You may lief His mind reeled.

Read more on Literature

He thought you wanted to go 'round kind o' on a lark; and that pony, for mere devilment, had just as lief go-a-courting as not.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

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