liefan

See also: lief an

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈli͜yː.fɑn/, [ˈli͜yː.vɑn]

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *laubijan, from Proto-Germanic *laubijaną, related to Old English lēaf (“permission, leave”).

Alternative forms

• lȳfan, līfan — Late West Saxon
• lēfan — Anglian

Verb

līefan (West Saxon)

1. (transitive) to give leave; grant; allow; consent
2. (transitive) to believe; trust; confide in

Conjugation

Conjugation of līefan (weak class 1)

infinitive	līefan	līefenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	līefe	līefde
second person singular	līefest, līefst	līefdest
third person singular	līefeþ, līefþ	līefde
plural	līefaþ	līefdon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	līefe	līefde
plural	līefen	līefden
imperative
singular	līef
plural	līefaþ
participle	present	past
	līefende	(ġe)līefed

Derived terms

• ālīefan
• belīefan
• ġelīefan

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *liubijan, from Proto-Germanic *liubijaną, from Proto-Germanic *leubaz, related to Old English lēof (“lief, dear”).

Alternative forms

• lēofian

Verb

līefan (West Saxon)

1. (intransitive) to be dear or pleasant; delight

Conjugation

Conjugation of līefan (weak class 1)

infinitive	līefan	līefenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	līefe	līefde
second person singular	līefest, līefst	līefdest
third person singular	līefeþ, līefþ	līefde
plural	līefaþ	līefdon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	līefe	līefde
plural	līefen	līefden
imperative
singular	līef
plural	līefaþ
participle	present	past
	līefende	(ġe)līefed