Now rare. Also 3 lifful, 6 livefull, lifull, lyfull. [f. LIFE sb. + -FUL.] Full of life; having much vitality or animation; giving or bestowing life or vitality.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 834. Þe liffule leaue of hali chirche.
1570. T. Norton, trans. Nowell’s Catech. (1853), 199. We pray to have the daily meat … to be made lifeful and healthful to us.
1595. Spenser, Epithal., 118. Let thy lifull heat not feruent be For feare of burning her sunshyny face. Ibid. (1596), F. Q., VI. xi. 46. Like lyfull heat to nummed senses brought.
1606. Marston, Parasitaster, I. ii. B 2. Tiberio’s life-full eyes and well fild vaines.
1818. Keats, Endym., I. 768. A colour grew Upon his cheek, while thus he lifeful spake.
1862. R. H. Patterson, Ess. Hist. & Art, 108. Nothing is too lifeful for sculpture, if so be it be beautiful.
Hence Lifefully adv., Lifefulness.
a. 1470. Tiptoft, Decl. P. C. Scipio (Caxton, 1481), D iv. In theyr children nature hath lyeffully emprynted … the same.
1832. J. Wilson, in Blackw. Mag., XXXI. 865. In their lifefulness forgetting all thoughts … that appertain to death.
1864. Mrs. Clive, John Greswold, II. 179. The … garb which had been worn so lifefully in the morning.
1870. H. Macmillan, Bible Teach., iii. 54. Human hope and lifefulness.
