Obs. Forms: 1 léfan, lýfan, 2–5 leve(n, 3 le(a)fen, 4 leeve, Sc. lewe, 5 leef. [OE. (Anglian) léfan, (WS.) lýfan = OHG. (ar)louban (MHG., mod.G. (er)louben), ON. løyfa, Goth. (us)laubjan, f. OTeut. *lauƀâ LEAVE sb.] trans. To grant permission to; allow, permit. Also (esp. of God or Christ), to grant. With personal obj. (? orig. dat.) and inf. or clause; also absol.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., Pref. 4. We hit nohwæðer ne selfe ne lufedon ne eac oðrum monnum ne lifdon.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xix. 8. Moyses … lyfde eow eower wif to forlætenne.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 11. Þet he us leue swa libben on þisse scorte liue þet [etc.].
c. 1200. Ormin, 8873. Godd Allmahhtiȝ lefe uss swa To forþenn Cristess wille.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 303. Vre louerd crist it leue us ðat his laȝe us fede.
a. 1225. Juliana, 28. Lef me þat ich mote þe treowliche luuien.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 12. Leaf me gan.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 88. Vre Louerd … ne leue ou neuer stinken þene fule put.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2532. God leue hem in his blisse spilen among engeles & seli men.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxvi. (Nycholas), 632. Þat he wald lewe þam to say þe story of sancte nicholas.
c. 1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIX. 126. Of the kyngis curtasye, That levit him debonarly Till do of his land his liking.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 2083, Ariadne. And leue me nevere swich a cas be-falle.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 149. Crist … leue þe lede so þy londe þat leaute þe louye.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 8048. And þes wordes ho warpit, as hir wo leuit.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 28. Þat onely a man vse his power in to ilk þing, as God … lefiþ him to vse it.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 534. As our Roy levit, The Dowglass in armes the bludy hart beris.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IV. 38. Thocht a subiet in deid wald pass his lord, It is nocht lewyt be na rychtwis racord. Ibid., VI. 262. Wemen thai lewit and preistis, on the morn, To pass thar way.
c. 1510. Gest Rob. Hode, I. in Arb., Garner, VI. 430. God leve that he be true.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, III. vi. 203. I am levit with my wordis the to charge.
