† beleavebelevev.
Obsolete.
I. transitive.
1.
a. To let or cause to remain behind, to go away without taking with one, to abandon.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > relinquishing > casting or laying aside > [verb (transitive)] > leave (behind)
let971
beleavec1175
forletc1200
agoc1275
to leave behindc1330
relinquish1548
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 79 Ho hine bilefde liggen half quic.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 8913 He wass þa bihinndenn hemm Bilefedd att te temmple.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 9306 Þe eorl..bilefde his wif in Tintaieol.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. 421 Hys fader..ladde hym..into Normandye, & byleuede hym þere.
c1330 Assump. Virg. 759 Thei leide þe bodi in a stone, And bileft alle in þat stede.
?a1400 Morte Arth. 2380 The cors of Kayone..at Came es belevefede.
a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) x. xi. 166 Men..Quham..to myschews deth beleft haue I.
1627 T. May tr. Lucan Pharsalia (new ed.) viii. (T.) Wondering at fortune's turns, and scarce is he Beleft, relating his own misery.
b. To leave (something) behind to; to leave at death; to leave in the possession or power of.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > relinquishing > casting or laying aside > [verb (transitive)] > leave (behind) > at death
beleavec1200
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 183 Hie bileueð uncuðe men þe aihte.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 367 Þe kyngdom [they] byleft to Colwulfus.
c1410 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (Gibbs MS.) vi Lord to þe is bylafte [1530 belefte] þe pore peple.
1557 Malory's Story Noble & Worthy Kynge Arthur (Copland) vii. i The two men..belefte him to Syr Kay.
2. To allow to remain over; to leave out of count or process: to pass over, let go, omit.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being exclusive > exclude [verb (transitive)] > omit or leave out
letc900
overleapOE
forletc1200
beleavec1275
overpassa1382
to cut outc1400
overskipc1400
omisec1425
omit1439
to leave outc1450
obmise1490
neglect1511
skip1531
obmit?1541
enterlesse1548
intermit1570
prevade1641
waive1651
suppress1826
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 14654 Ælcne bilefued mon he lette bi-limien.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. 173 He ne beleuede noȝt on.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin xvii. 276 Vi, Ml and v C men that were hym be-lefte of the bataile.
3.
a. To go away from (a person or place); to depart from, forsake, quit, abandon.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > go away from [verb (transitive)]
leaveeOE
beleavea1250
devoidc1325
voidc1330
roomc1400
wagc1400
departa1425
refusea1425
avoid1447
ishc1450
remove1459
absent1488
part1496
refrain1534
to turn the backc1540
quita1568
apart1574
shrink1594
to fall from ——1600
to draw away1616
to go off ——a1630
shifta1642
untenant1795
evacuate1809
exit1830
stash1888
split1956
society > travel > aspects of travel > departure, leaving, or going away > depart from or leave [verb (transitive)]
leaveeOE
beleavea1250
devoidc1325
voidc1330
to pass out ofa1398
roomc1400
departa1425
avoid1447
ishc1450
part1496
quita1568
shrink1594
shifta1642
to turn out of ——1656
refraina1723
blow1902
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 48 & fluen alle vrom him & bilefden [?c1225 Cleo. leafden] him ase vreomede.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 4274 Lundene we mote bilæuen [c1300 Otho bi-lefue].
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy xxxv. 13456 A buyldyng..was of long tyme beleft, & no lede there.
b. figurative. To turn from, forsake.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > relinquishing > casting or laying aside > [verb (transitive)] > forsake
forlet971
beleavec1175
letc1175
forleavec1225
forsakea1300
waivec1330
forgoa1400
forhowa1400
sakea1400
forloinc1400
forlesec1460
abandonc1475
destitute1530
aband1587
bandon1587
leese1590
linquish1591
desert1603
derelicta1631
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 81 He scal his sunne uor-saken and bileuen.
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 179 Heo wule..bileauen [?c1225 Cleo. lete] þene deouel.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 9053 I haf bi-left mi lauerd lau.
c1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 35 Trowth and luf es al bylaft.
c. To leave off, cease give up, abandon (action).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease from (an action or operation) [verb (transitive)]
aswikec975
linOE
beleavec1175
forletc1175
i-swikec1175
restc1175
stutte?c1225
lina1300
blinc1314
to give overc1325
to do wayc1350
stintc1366
finisha1375
leavea1375
yleavec1380
to leave offa1382
refuse1389
ceasec1410
resigna1413
respite?a1439
relinquish1454
surcease1464
discontinue1474
unfill1486
supersede1499
desist1509
to have ado?1515
stop1525
to lay aside1530
stay1538
quata1614
to lay away1628
sist1635
quita1642
to throw up1645
to lay by1709
to come off1715
unbuckle1736
peter1753
to knock off1767
stash1794
estop1796
stow1806
cheese1811
to chuck itc1879
douse1887
nark1889
to stop off1891
stay1894
sling1902
can1906
to lay off1908
to pack in1934
to pack up1934
to turn in1938
to break down1941
to tie a can to (or on)1942
to jack in1948
to wrap it up1949
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 93 Bileafden heo heore timbrunge.
c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 3344 Het hem þe assaut be-leue.
c1400 Solomon's Bk. Wisd. 82 Ne bileue þou nouȝth to trauaile.
4. To let go (from one's hold).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > releasing hold > let go (something held or grasped) [verb (transitive)]
beleavea1250
leta1325
to let goc1384
to leave hold1556
to turn loose?1566
quita1586
unhand1603
relinquish1651
unseize1663
unfist1692
to leave go1776
unclasp1868
to loose hold1875
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 103 Hwon two bereð one burðene & te oðer bileaueð [?c1225 Cleo. leaue; c1230 Corpus leaueð] hit.
II. intransitive. [taking place of belive v.1: = German bleiben.]
5.
a. To remain over, survive, be left in existence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > that which is left or remainder > remain or be left [verb (intransitive)] > remain or survive
beleavea1000
rest1463
a1000 Psalms (Spelm.) cv[i]. 10 An of him ne belæfde [L. non remansit].
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. 372 Þer ne byleuede noȝt..þat nas to grounde ybroȝt.
c1350 MS. in Archæol. XXX. 352 Of ye ewyll xal no thynge blewyn.
a1500 (?a1400) Sir Torrent of Portyngale (1887) l. 359 Had byn the gyant [MS reads gyand] be levand, They had not partyd soo.
b. To remain behind in a place.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > remain as opposed to go
bidec893
yleaveOE
leaveOE
wonc1000
abideOE
worthOE
beliveOE
atstutte-nc1220
stuttea1225
atstuntc1230
astinta1250
beleavea1325
lasta1325
stounda1325
stinta1340
joukc1374
restaya1382
to leave over1394
liec1400
byec1425
onbidec1430
keep1560
stay1575
delay1655
to wait on1773
stop1801
to sit on1815
to hang around1830
to stick around1878
to sit tight1897
remain1912
stay-down1948
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3114 La! god it wot, Sal ðer-of bi-leuen non fot.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 190 Yrobbed..zuo þet him naȝt ne blefte.
c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 1595 Þe hedes on þe tre by-lafte.
a1400 Octouian 1540 The Soudan..Bleft yn Fraunce, Cytes to brenne.
1480 W. Caxton Chron. Eng. lxi. 45 I beleft allone in my chambre.
c. To remain in a condition or state, to continue.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (intransitive)] > endure, remain, persist, or continue
bidec893
lastOE
through-wonOE
ylasta1000
standOE
runOE
lastlOE
beleavec1200
abidec1275
cleavec1275
durec1275
dwell13..
endurec1386
perseverec1390
continuec1400
contunec1400
tarrya1450
remainc1455
perdure?a1475
rest1474
permanec1485
succeed1486
perpetuate1530
persist1531
demur1547
perduratea1558
weara1568
to hold it out1585
to hold out1585
abye1590
contain1592
live1592
perennate1623
to draw overa1700
exist1754
linger1764
to hang it out1939
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 87 Þe children weren clensed of sinnen and þus bilefden.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 671 Babel ðat tur bi-lef un-mad.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 12 Þe mayde Marie blefte eure mayde.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 7662 [Þer] mani man fell vnder scheild, Bot with dauid be-left þe feild.
c1430 Syr Gener. 5737 Here speres beleft hole booth.
6. To remain for the time being (in a place); to stay, abide, continue, dwell with (a person).
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > [verb (intransitive)] > continue to dwell
beleavec1175
bidec1280
continue1417
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 149 Ȝe moten..him, foleȝe and mid him bileue.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 9868 Ne dursten heo þer bilæfen [c1300 Otho bi-lefue].
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 800 Abram..and sarray, Bileften bi-twen betel and ay.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 245 Mid Him uor to bleve.
c1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 48 Gyf he schal byleve with me.
7. to be beleft was often used in the sense of ‘To remain, to be’; also ‘to be become of’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > [verb (intransitive)]
liveeOE
beOE
i-bea1175
befindc1175
to be beleft1340
to consist of1565
exist1570
re1597
breathe1652
the world > the supernatural > deity > a devil > the Devil or Satan > [verb (intransitive)] > be possessed by
to be beleft1340
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 225 Þe ilke þet is ybleued ine lyue he ssel him loki chastliche.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 18558 He wrouȝte bi wicche-craft And wiþ þe deuel was bilaft.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 7736 His coupe his spere where mai hit be..Where be þei now bileued.
c1440 Bone Flor. 733 He ys beleft wyth Syr Garcy Ageyn you.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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v.a1000- take for a sleigh ride
- take for fable
- take for gospel
- take for granted
- take for scripture
- take for the gospel
- take forever
- take forfeit of
- take forth
- take forth one's etc
- take forth one's journey
- take forth one's road
- take forth one's way
- take freight
- take french furlough
- take french leave
- take fright
- take garbage to a bear
- take gas
- take gate
- take get trial
- take go on a sleigh ride
- take gome
- take good night
- take grief with