[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

lief \lief\, n.
   a dear one; a sweetheart. obs. --chaucer.
   1913 webster

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

lief \lief\, adv.
   gladly; willingly; freely; -- now used only in the phrases,
   had as lief, and would as lief; as, i had, or would, as lief
   go as not.
   1913 webster

         all women liefest would
         be sovereign of man's love.              --gower.
   1913 webster

         i had as lief the town crier spoke my lines. --shak.
   1913 webster

         far liefer by his dear hand had i die.   --tennyson.
   1913 webster

   note: the comparative liefer with had or would, and followed
         by the infinitive, either with or without the sign to,
         signifies prefer, choose as preferable, would or had
         rather. in the 16th century rather was substituted for
         liefer in such constructions in literary english, and
         has continued to be generally so used. see had as
         lief, had rather, etc., under had.
         1913 webster
see also:
had as lief had rather had 

[3] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

lief \lief\ l=ef, n.
   same as lif.
   1913 webster
see also:
lif 

[4] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

lief \lief\ l=ef, a. written also lieve. oe. leef, lef,
   leof, as. le'if; akin to os. liof, ofries. liaf, d. lief,
   g. lieb, ohg. liob, icel. lj?fr, sw. ljuf, goth. liubs, and
   e. love. root124. see love, and cf. believe, leave,
   n., furlough, libidinous.
   1. dear; beloved. obs., except in poetry. "my liefe
      mother." --chaucer. "my liefest liege." --shak.
      1913 webster

            as thou art lief and dear.            --tennyson.
      1913 webster

   2.

   note: used with a form of the verb to be, and the dative of
         the personal pronoun. pleasing; agreeable; acceptable;
         preferable. obs. see lief, adv., and had as lief,
         under had.
         1913 webster

               full lief me were this counsel for to hide.
                                                  --chaucer.
         1913 webster

               death me liefer were than such despite.
                                                  --spenser.
         1913 webster

   3. willing; disposed. obs.
      1913 webster

            i am not lief to gab.                 --chaucer.
      1913 webster

            he up arose, however lief or loth.    --spenser.
      1913 webster
see also:
lieve love believe leave furlough libidinous 
lief had 

[5] : WordNet (r) 2.0

lief
     adj : `lief' is archaic very willing; "was lief to go"; "glad to
           help" syn: glad, liefp
     adv : in a willing manner; "this was gladly agreed to"; "i would
           fain do it" syn: gladly, fain
see also:
glad liefp gladly fain 

Lief >> L Words
Lief, definition of term: Lief
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