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1. Gent. And thou the Veluet; thou art good veluet; thou'rt a three pild-peece I warrant thee: I had as liefe be a Lyst of an English Kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French Veluet. [...]
1826, Thomas Byerly, John Timbs, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction:
As far as physiognomy goes, the winners protest that they would as lief have foregone the double points, and the money.
1869, RD Blackmoore, Lorna Doone, section II:
these great masters of the art, who would far liefer see us little ones practice it, than themselves engage [...].
Since sware the Parcæ unto me, their friend, / they shall adore my name, my favour prize; / and, as their feats of armèd prowess shend / all feats of rival Rome, I lief devise / some mode of aidance in what things I may, / far as our force o'er man extendeth sway.
1902, Josephine Spenser, Corner in Chrysanthemums:
I'd as lief put on my hat and cane and help you if you think they'll be too heavy.
May be used as a term of address for romantic partners or loved ones, particularly the diminutive liefje/lieffie and the related substantivized superlative liefste. May be perceived as condescending or sexist as a term of address to strangers or work relations.
Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 115
ca aſſi diz el criador. fazed en eſta torriente muchos pozos enõ ueredes pluuia nj uiẽto en conplir ſea eſta torriente de agua. beuredes uos e ur̃as beſtias lief coſa es eſta delant el c̃ador […]
“For thus says the Creator, ‘Make in this streambed many ditches. And you will see neither rain nor wind, but this streambed will be filled with water. You and your beasts will drink. This is a light thing before the Creator .’”
Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 54