See also: lēf

Dutch

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Yiddish לבֿ (leyv, courage), which is borrowed from Hebrew לב (lev, heart).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /lɛf/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: lef
  • Rhymes: -ɛf

Noun

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lef n or m (uncountable)

  1. courage, bravery, daring
  2. temerity, gall rashness, audacity
    het gore lefthe utter gall
  3. arrogance
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References

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  • M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]

Anagrams

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Fiji Hindi

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English left.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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lef

  1. left (left hand side)

References

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Old English lēof, līof, from Proto-West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic *leubaz.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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lef

  1. beloved, dear
    • c. 1368, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Book of the Duchess, as recorded c. 1440–1450 in Bodleian Library MS. Fairfax 16, folio 130r:
      I have so many an ydel thoght / Purely for defaulte of slepe / That by my trouthe I take no kepe / Of noo thinge how hyt cometh or gooth / Ne me nys no thynge leve nor looth
      I have so many idle thoughts / Purely from lack of sleep / That I swear I take no heed / Of anything, whether it comes or goes, / And nothing is either dear to me or hated.

Adverb

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lef

  1. beloved, dear

Descendants

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  • English: lief; livelong
  • Scots: lief, lee
  • Yola: liveer

References

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Old English

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Etymology

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From Proto-West Germanic *lēb. Cognate with Old Frisian lēf, Old Saxon lēf. Further origin obscure. Compare Dutch laf and loof.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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lēf

  1. weak, frail; sick

Declension

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Romansch

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin labium, from Proto-Indo-European *leb- (to hang loosely).

Noun

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lef f (plural lefs)

  1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Surmiran, Vallader, anatomy) lip

West Frisian

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Adjective

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lef

  1. afraid, scared

Inflection

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Inflection of lef
uninflected lef
inflected leffe
comparative leffer
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial lef leffer it lefst
it lefste
indefinite c. sing. leffe leffere lefste
n. sing. lef leffer lefste
plural leffe leffere lefste
definite leffe leffere lefste
partitive lefs leffers

Derived terms

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Further reading

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  • lef (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011