lief

Meaning

Adj

1. (archaic) Beloved, dear, agreeable.
2. (archaic) Ready, willing.

Adv

Readily, willingly, rather.

Synonyms

gladly

fain

willing

beloved

dearly

eagerly

enthusiastically

willingly

with pleasure

zealously

zestfully

agreeably

with both hands

avidly

consciously

dear

Translations

volentieri

πρόθυμα

de bona gana

gustosament

gern

gerne

willensmäßig

molt de grat

ευχαρίστως

heureusement

joyeusement

volontiers

de bon grat

volontieri

برغبة

Pronounced as (IPA)

/liːf/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: lef

Inherited from Old English: lēof

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: ljo

Cognate with Western Frisian: leaf

Cognate with Dutch: lief

Cognate with German: lieb

Cognate with Swedish: -

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: ljuv

Cognate with Gothic: 𐌻𐌹𐌿𐍆𐍃

Cognate with Russian: любо́вь

Cognate with Polish: luby

Cognate with German: lieber

Cognate with Dutch: liever

In summary

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”).