lief
/liːf
/adverb (as lief) archaic
As happily; as gladly: he would just as lief eat a pincushion...
- ‘I had as lief be a Brownist as a politician,’ said bibulous Sir Andrew Ague-cheek.
- Here is W. S. Gilbert's spoof line, ‘I would as lief be thrust through a thicket hedge as cry Pooh to a callow throstle’.
- As for the first, I would as lief pray with him as with any man.
Origin
Old English lēof 'dear, pleasant', of Germanic origin: related to leave2 and love.
Rhymes
- cut off one's nose to spite one's face
- cut one's losses
- cut one's own throat
- cut one's teeth
- cut (or pare) something to the bone
- cut (or tear) something to ribbons
- cut out
- cutover
- cut-price
- cutpurse
- cut-rate
- cutscene
- cut someone dead
- cut someone down to size
- cut someone in
- cut someone off
- cut someone off (or down) in their prime
- cut someone out
- cut someone some slack
- cut someone/thing loose (or free)
- cut someone/thing short
- cut someone to pieces
- cut someone to the quick
- cut someone up
- cut something down to size