Part 6513

<hw>Lied</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> ; <plu>pl. <plw>Lieder</plw> <tt>(#)</tt></plu>. <ety>[G.]</ety> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <def>A lay; a German song. It differs from the French <i>chanson</i>, and the Italian <i>canzone</i>, all three being national.</def>

<blockquote>The German <b>Lied</b> is perhaps the most faithful reflection of the national sentiment. <i>Grove.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Liedertafel</h1> <Xpage=850>

<hw>Lie"der*ta`fel</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[G., lit., a song table.]</ety> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <def>A popular name for any society or club which meets for the practice of male part songs.</def>

<h1>Lief</h1> <Xpage=850>

<hw>Lief</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Same as <er>Lif</er>.</def>

<h1>Lief</h1> <Xpage=850>

<hw>Lief</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <altsp>[Written also <asp>lieve</asp>.]</altsp> <ety>[OE. <ets>leef</ets>, <ets>lef</ets>, <ets>leof</ets>, AS. <ets>le\'a2f</ets>; akin to OS.<ets>liof</ets>, OFries. <ets>liaf</ets>, D. <ets>lief</ets>, G. <ets>lieb</ets>, OHG. <ets>liob</ets>, Icel. <ets>lj<?/fr</ets>, Sw.<ets>ljuf</ets>, Goth. <ets>liubs</ets>, and E. <ets>love</ets>. &root;124. See <er>Love</er>, and cf. <er>Believe</er>, <er>Leave</er>, <tt>n.</tt>, <er>Furlough</er>, <er>Libidinous</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Dear; beloved. <mark>[Obs., except in poetry.]</mark> "My <i>liefe</i> mother." <i>Chaucer</i>. "My <i>liefest</i> liege." <i>Shak.</i></def>

<blockquote>As thou art <b>lief</b> and dear. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <note>(Used with a form of the verb <i>to be</i>, and the dative of the personal pronoun.)</note> <def>Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable; preferable. <mark>[Obs.]</mark> See <er>Lief</er>, <tt>adv.</tt>, and <i>Had as lief</i>, under <er>Had</er>.</def>

<blockquote>Full <b>lief</b> me were this counsel for to hide. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Death me <b>liefer</b> were than such despite. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Willing; disposed.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>I am not <b>lief</b> to gab. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>He up arose, however <b>lief</b> or loth. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Lief</h1> <Xpage=850>

<hw>Lief</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A dear one; a sweetheart.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<h1>Lief</h1> <Xpage=850>

<hw>Lief</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>Gladly; willingly; freely; -- now used only in the phrases, <i>had as lief</i>, and <i>would as lief</i>; <as>as, I had, or would, as <ex>lief</ex> go as not</as>.</def>

<blockquote>All women <b>liefest</b> would Be sovereign of man's love. <i>Gower.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>I had as <b>lief</b> the town crier spoke my lines. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Far <b>liefer</b> by his dear hand had I die. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; The comparative <i>liefer</i> with <i>had or would</i>, and followed by the infinitive, either with or without the sign <i>to</i>, signifies <i>prefer</i>, <i>choose as preferable</i>, <i>would</i> or <i>had rather</i>. In the 16th century <i>rather</i> was substituted for <i>liefer</i> in such constructions in literary English, and has continued to be generally so used. See <cref>Had as lief</cref>, <cref>Had rather</cref>, etc. , under <er>Had</er>.</note>

<h1>Liefsome</h1> <Xpage=850>

<hw>Lief"some</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Pleasing; delightful.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Liegance</h1> <Xpage=850>

<hw>Lieg"ance</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Same as <er>Ligeance</er>.</def>