Chaucer's Works, Volume 6 — Introduction, Glossary, and Indexes

by Geoffrey Chaucer

Leve (lèèvə), s. leave, 3. 153; 4. 9, 153; 6. 11; T. i. 126; HF. 1089; B 1637, D 908, E 2194, F 363, 584; permission, L. 2281, B 3136, C 848, G 373; bisyde hir leve, without her leave, T. iii. 622.

Leve (1) v. leave, E 250, F 828; let alone, G 714; let go, 3. 1111; go away, 5. 153; leave alone, T. i. 688; ger. to leave off, T. i. 686; A 4414; to forsake, G 287; Leve, 1 pr. s. leave, 2. 50; Leveth, pr. s. remains, 3. 701; A. ii. 10. 10, 44. 29; Lafte, 1 pt. s. left, C 762; Lefte, left off, F 670; Lafte, pt. s. left, L. 1332, 1657; left, ceased, B 3496; Lefte, pt. s. left off, T. ii. 560; Lafte, pt. pl. left, L. 968; B 3388; Laften, pt. pl. L. 168; Left, pp. left off, B 1. p 6. 53; omitted, I 231; Laft, pp. left, L. 1260, 1330; F 186, 263, G 883, 1321; Leef, imp. s. leave, T. iv. 852, 896, 924; leave (it) alone, T. v. 1518; Lef, imp. s. forego, D 2089; Leve, imp. s. leave, A 1614; Leveth, imp. pl. leave, 6. 118; B 2650, C 659. A.S. lǣfan.

Leve (2) v. believe, 5. 496; L. 10; T. ii. 420; D 319; ger. to be believed, HF. 708; Leve, 1 pr. s. 3. 691; L. 1615; T. i. 342; G 213; Levestow, believest thou, G 212; Leveth, pr. s. E 1001; Leve, 1 pr. pl. B 1181; 2 pr. pl. T. ii. 1141; imp. s. 3. 1047, 1148; Leveth, imp. pl. believe, 6. 88; L. 88 a; A 3088, B 2944. A.S. lēfan, lȳfan.

Leve (3) ger. to allow, L. 2280; god leve, God grant, L. 2083, 2086; T. i. 597, ii. 1212, iii. 56, v. 959, B 1873 (see note), D 1644. A.S. lēfan, lȳfan.

Leveful, adj. allowable, A 3912; B 4. p 4. 197; permissible, B 1. p 3. 13; D 37, E 1448, G 5, I 506, 777, 778; permitted, B 4. p 6. 243; Leefful, allowable, I 41, 917; Leful, permissible, T. iii. 1020. See Leve, s. (leave).

Level, s. level (for ascertaining that a thing is level), A. ii. 38. 4.

Levene, s. flash of lightning, D 276. See Stratmann.

Lever (lééver), adj. comp. liefer, rather, B 4. p 5. 4; me were lever, I had rather, T. i. 1034, iii. 574; B 3628, C 615, H 23; me nis lever, L. 191; me wer l., A

3751; thee were l., thou hadst rather, B 2339; him was l., A 293; him were l., L. 2413; have I l., I would rather, T. ii. 471; F 1360; hadde I l., D 168, G 1376, H 78; hath l., F 692, H 170; 17. 13; hadde l., L. 1536; F 683; had hir l., she would rather, E 444; him had be l. he would rather, A 3541. See Leefer.

Leves (lèèvez), leaves; pl. of Lèèf.