'Lieve' definitions:

Definition of 'Lieve'

From: GCIDE
  • Lieve \Lieve\ (l[=e]v), a. Same as Lief. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'lieve'

From: GCIDE
  • Lief \Lief\ (l[=e]f), a. [Written also lieve.] [OE. leef, lef, leof, AS. le['i]f; akin to OS. liof, OFries. liaf, D. lief, G. lieb, OHG. liob, Icel. lj?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. [1913 Webster]
  • As thou art lief and dear. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Full lief me were this counsel for to hide. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • Death me liefer were than such despite. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Willing; disposed. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • I am not lief to gab. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • He up arose, however lief or loth. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]