| 释义 |
lief
I. \ˈlēf, -ēv\ adjective
(-er/-est)
Etymology: Middle English lef, leef, leif, lif, from Old English lēof; akin to Old High German liob dear, beloved, Old Norse ljūfr, Gothic liufs dear, beloved, Old English lufu love — more at love
1. archaic : dear, beloved : precious
2. obsolete : pleasing, agreeable, acceptable — used with dative of personal pronoun
< death me liefer were than such despite — Edmund Spenser >
3. archaic : willing, glad
II. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English lef, leef, leif, lif, from Old English lēof, from lēof, adjective
1. archaic : beloved, sweetheart
2. obsolete : dear — used as a title of respect in addressing a superior
III. \ˈlē]v, ˈli], ]f\ adverb
(-er/-est)
Etymology: Middle English lef, leef, leif, lif, from lef, leef, leif, lif, adjective
: gladly, willingly, freely — used in the phrases had as lief, would as lief, had liefer, or would liefer
< I had as lief go as not >
< far liefer by his dear hand had I die — Alfred Tennyson >
< he would as lief have the Germans as neighbors as the British — Manfred Nathan >
< frankly, I'd just as lief stay > |