lief

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Adverb

CIDE DICTIONARY

lief, n. 

 Same as Lif.  [1913 Webster]

lief, a. [OE. leef, lef, leof, AS. leóf; akin to OS. liof, OFries. liaf, D. lief, G. lieb, OHG. liob, Icel. ljfr, Sw. ljuf, Goth. liubs, and E. love. Love, and cf. Believe, Leave, n., Furlough, Libidinous.].

•  Dear; beloved.  [1913 Webster]

  "As thou art lief and dear."  [1913 Webster]
•  Willing; disposed.  [1913 Webster]

  "(Used with a form of the verb to be, and the dative of the personal pronoun.)"  [1913 Webster]

  "Full lief me were this counsel for to hide."  [1913 Webster]

  "Death me liefer were than such despite."  [1913 Webster]

lief, n. 

 A dear one; a sweetheart.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

lief, adv. 

 Gladly; willingly; freely; -- now used only in the phrases, had as lief, and would as lief; as, I had, or would, as lief go as not.  [1913 Webster]
" The comparative liefer with had or would, and followed by the infinitive, either with or without the sign to, signifies prefer, choose as preferable, would or had rather. In the 16th century rather was substituted for liefer in such constructions in literary English, and has continued to be generally so used. See Had as lief, Had rather, etc. , under Had."  [1913 Webster]
"All women liefest would
Be sovereign of man's love."  [1913 Webster]
"I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines."  [1913 Webster]
"Far liefer by his dear hand had I die."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

lief, adv. archaic gladly, willingly. (usu. had lief, would lief)

Etymology

orig. as adj. f. OE leof dear, pleasant, f. Gmc, rel. to LEAVE(2), LOVE

ROGET THESAURUS

lief

Pleasurableness

N pleasurableness, pleasantness, agreeableness, pleasure giving, jucundity, delectability, amusement, attraction, attractiveness, attractability, invitingness, harm, fascination, enchantment, witchery, seduction, winning ways, amenity, amiability, winsomeness, loveliness, sunny side, bright side, sweets, goodness, manna in the wilderness, land flowing with milk and honey, bittersweet, fair weather, treat, regale, dainty, titbit, tidbit, nuts, sauce piquante, causing pleasure, laetificant, pleasure-giving, pleasing, pleasant, pleasurable, agreeable, grateful, gratifying, leef, lief, acceptable, welcome, welcome as the roses in May, welcomed, favorite, to one's taste, to one's mind, to one's liking, satisfactory, refreshing, comfortable, cordial, genial, glad, gladsome, sweet, delectable, nice, dainty, delicate, delicious, dulcet, luscious, palatable, luxurious, voluptuous, sensual, attractive, inviting, prepossessing, engaging, winning, winsome, taking, fascinating, captivating, killing, seducing, seductive, heart-robbing, alluring, enticing, appetizing, cheering, bewitching, enchanting, entrancing, enravishing, charming, delightful, felicitous, exquisite, lovely, ravishing, rapturous, heartfelt, thrilling, ecstatic, beatic, beatific, seraphic, empyrean, elysian, palmy, halcyon, Saturnian, decies repetita placebit, charms strike the sight but merit wins the soul, sweetness and light, beauty is only skin deep.