læfan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *laibijan (“to leave”). Compare Old Frisian lēva, Old Saxon lēvian, Old High German leiben, Old Norse leifa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlæː.fɑn/, [ˈlæː.vɑn]

Verb

lǣfan

1. to leave

Conjugation

Conjugation of lǣfan (weak class 1)

infinitive	lǣfan	lǣfenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	lǣfe	lǣfde
second person singular	lǣfest, lǣfst	lǣfdest
third person singular	lǣfeþ, lǣfþ	lǣfde
plural	lǣfaþ	lǣfdon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	lǣfe	lǣfde
plural	lǣfen	lǣfden
imperative
singular	lǣf
plural	lǣfaþ
participle	present	past
	lǣfende	(ġe)lǣfed

Derived terms

• ġelǣfan
• oferlǣfan

Related terms

• belǣfan

Descendants

• Middle English: leven, leaven, lefven
  • English: leave
  • Scots: leve, leif
  • Yola: laave, lea, lee