Part 682

Far liefer by his dear hand had I die.

Tennyson.

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.

Lief"some (lf"sm), a. Pleasing; delightful. [Obs.]

Lieg"ance (l"jans), n. Same as Ligeance.

Liege (lj), a. [OE. lige, lege, F. lige, LL. ligius, legius, liege, unlimited, complete, prob. of German origin; cf. G. ledig free from bonds and obstacles, MHG. ledec, ledic, lidic, freed, loosed, and Charta Ottonis de Benthem, ann. 1253, "ligius homo quod Teutonicè dicitur ledigman," i. e., uni soli homagio obligatus, free from all obligations to others; influenced by L. ligare to bind. G. ledig perh. orig. meant, free to go where one pleases, and is perh. akin to E. lead to conduct. Cf. Lead to guide.] 1. Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to allegiance; as, a liege lord. Chaucer.

She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege lady there.

Tennyson.

2. Serving an independent sovereign or master; bound by a feudal tenure; obliged to be faithful and loyal to a superior, as a vassal to his lord; faithful; loyal; as, a liege man; a liege subject.

3. (Old Law) Full; perfect; complete; pure. Burrill.

Liege homage (Feudal Custom), that homage of one sovereign or prince to another which acknowledged an obligation of fealty and services. -- Liege poustie [L. legitima potestas] (Scots Law), perfect, i. e., legal, power; specif., having health requisite to do legal acts. -- Liege widowhood, perfect, i. e., pure, widowhood. [Obs.]

Liege (lj), n. 1. A free and independent person; specif., a lord paramount; a sovereign. Mrs. Browning.

The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans, Liege of all loiterers and malcontents.

Shak.

2. The subject of a sovereign or lord; a liegeman.

A liege lord seems to have been a lord of a free band; and his lieges, though serving under him, were privileged men, free from all other obligations, their name being due to their freedom, not to their service.

Skeat.

Liege"man (-man), n.; pl. Liegemen (-men). Same as Liege, n., 2. Chaucer. Spenser.

Lie"ger (l"jr), n. [See Leger, Ledger.] A resident ambassador. [Obs.] See Leger. Denham.

Lie"gian*cy (l"jan*s), n. See Ligeance.

Li"en (l"n), obs. p. p. of Lie. See Lain. Ps. lxviii. 13.

Lien (ln or l"n; 277), n. [F. lien band, bond, tie, fr. L. ligamen, fr. ligare to bind. Cf. League a union, Leam a string, Leamer, Ligament.] (Law) A legal claim; a charge upon real or personal property for the satisfaction of some debt or duty; a right in one to control or hold and retain the property of another until some claim of the former is paid or satisfied.

Li*e"nal (l*"nal), a. [L. lien the spleen.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the spleen; splenic.

||Li*en"cu*lus (l*"k*ls), n.; pl. Lienculi (- l). [NL., dim. of L. lien ||the spleen.] (Anat.) One of the small nodules sometimes found in the ||neighborhood of the spleen; an accessory or supplementary spleen. || Li*e`no-in*tes"ti*nal (l*`n- n*ts"t*nal), a. [L. lien the spleen + E. intestinal.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the spleen and intestine; as, the lieno- intestinal vein of the frog.

Li`en*ter"ic (l`n*tr"k), a. [L. lientericus, Gr. leienteriko`s: cf. F. lientérique. See Lientery.] (Med.) Of or pertaining to, or of the nature of, a lientery. -- n. (Med.) A lientery. Grew.

Li"en*ter*y (l"n*tr*), n. [Gr. leienteri`a; lei^os smooth, soft + 'e`nteron an intestine: cf. F. lientérie.] (Med.) A diarrhea, in which the food is discharged imperfectly digested, or with but little change. Dunglison.

Li"er (l"r), n. [From Lie. ] One who lies down; one who rests or remains, as in concealment.

There were liers in ambush against him.