Definition of LIEF

lief

Adverb

  • in a willing manner

Adj

  • Beloved, dear, agreeable.
  • Ready, willing.

Adv

  • Readily, willingly, rather.

Adjective

  • Willing or gladly; archaic for 'dear' or 'beloved.'

Examples

  • He would as LIEF play a seven-letter word as a two-letter one in Scrabble if it scored well.
  • I'd as lief have one as t'other.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English lef, leve, leef, from Old English lēof, from Proto-West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic *leubaz.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian ljo, ljoo, ljoof, West Frisian leaf, Dutch lief, German Low German leev, German lieb, Swedish and Norwegian Nynorsk ljuv, Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌿𐍆𐍃 (liufs), Russian любо́вь (ljubóvʹ), Polish luby.
For the adverb, compare German lieber, Dutch liever (“preferably, rather”).

Synonyms

fain, gladly, beloved

Scrabble Score: 7

lief: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
lief: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
lief: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

lief: valid Words With Friends Word