Bible Dictionaries
Lief
King James Dictionary
LIEF, a. See Love. Dear beloved. Obs.
LIEF, adv. supra. This word coincides with love, L. lubet, libet, and the primary sense is to be free, prompt, ready.
Gladly willingly freely used in familiar speech, in the phrase, I had as lief go as not. It has been supposed that had in this phrase is a corruption of would. At any rate it is anomalous.
Copyright Statement
Dictionary of Words from the King James Bible. Public Domain. Copy freely.
Material presented was supplied by Brandon Staggs and was derived from the KJV Dictionary found on his website located at av1611.com.
The unabridged 1828 version of this dictionary in the SwordSearcher Bible Software.
Bibliography Information
Entry for 'Lief'. King James Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/kjd/l/lief.html.