Hypertext Webster Gateway: "lieve"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Lief \Lief\ (l[=e]f), a. [Written also {lieve}.] [OE. leef, lef,
leof, AS. le['o]f; akin to OS. liof, OFries. liaf, D. lief,
G. lieb, OHG. liob, Icel. lj[=u]fr, Sw. ljuf, Goth. liubs,
and E. love. [root]124. See {Love}, and cf. {Believe},
{Leave}, n., {Furlough}, {Libidinous}.]
1. Dear; beloved. [Obs., except in poetry.] ``My liefe
mother.'' --Chaucer. ``My liefest liege.'' --Shak.

As thou art lief and dear. --Tennyson.

2.

Note: (Used with a form of the verb to be, and the dative of
the personal pronoun.) Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable;
preferable. [Obs.] See {Lief}, adv., and Had as lief,
under {Had}.

Full lief me were this counsel for to hide.
--Chaucer.

Death me liefer were than such despite.
--Spenser.

3. Willing; disposed. [Obs.]

I am not lief to gab. --Chaucer.

He up arose, however lief or loth. --Spenser.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Lieve \Lieve\ (l[=e]v), a.
Same as {Lief}.

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