Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 3 bi-life(s, -liues, -leue, -liue, 3–6 biliue, 3–5 bliue, 4 belif, bileve, 4–5 by lyve, blyue, blyve, 4–6 beliue, 4–7 blive, 5 belyff(e, beeliue, blif, blyf, bleyve, 5–6 belyve, -life, 5–8 belyfe, 6 byliue, 9 Sc. belyve, 4– belive. [Orig. two words, in ME. bi life, be life, be live, f. be, bí, BY prep., and life, live, dat. of līf, LIFE; lit. ‘with life, or liveliness’; cf. QUICK, and Fr. vif, and mod. look alive! For forms cf. ALIVE.]
1. With speed, with haste, quickly, eagerly. (Still Sc.)
c. 1200. Ormin, 17943. He fulltneþþ nu bilife.
c. 1205. Lay., 26504. Æuere þa eorles arnde biliues. Ibid., 4545. Brennes flæh bliue.
1297. R. Glouc., 50. Þo Romaynes flowe bi lyue.
c. 1300. Alisaunder, 1492. He wendith out of londe blive.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 238. Thai that war within the wayn Lap out belif.
c. 1400. Roland, 52. They herd hym blif.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 626. Also blyve as he myȝt … go.
c. 1460. Frere & Boye, 210, in Ritson, Anc. Pop. P., 43. He ranne fast and blyue.
c. 1570. Thynne, Pride & Lowl. (1841), 63. They al tooke hold belyve.
1613. W. Browne, Sheph. Pipe, Wks. (1772), 25. This noise he heard, and blive he to her ran.
1836. J. Mayne, Siller Gun, in Chambers’ Pop. Scot. P. (1862), 140. His father gar’d them flee for fear, And skulk belyve.
† b. As blive: as quickly as possible, immediately; = AS-SOON, AS-TITE; Fr. aussitôt. Obs.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xx. (1483), 66. Slee me here as blyue.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail (Roxb.), II. 391. On hym scholde I ben venged as blyve.
† 2. At once, immediately, directly. Obs.
c. 1220. St. Marher., 3. Olibrius … beth bringen hire biuoren him bliue.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5021. Fottes me ruben biliue.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 625. As sone as þay arn borne, bylyue In þe water of baptem þay dyssente.
c. 1400. Roland, 167. It is best I busk me blif.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, II. 293. To bring the horse to Pallas’ temple blive.
1563. Sackville, Dk. Buckhm., ii. Mark well my fall, which I shall show belive.
† b. Of order or position: Immediately, directly. Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, VI. 2226. I am Eldest and heire after hym belyue.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 250. Lande … acclyned blyve uppon the sonne.
3. This passes insensibly into: Before long, soon; ‘by-and-by,’ ‘anon.’ (Still Sc.)
1616. Bullokar, Belive, by and by, anon.
1637. B. Jonson, Sad Sheph., II. ii. (1641), 142. Twentie swarme or Bees, Whilke (all the Summer) hum about the hive, And bring me Waxe, and Honey in by live.
1785. Burns, Cotter’s Sat. Nt., iv. Belyve, the elder bairns come drapping in.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., 295. ‘Nearly a mile off’ … ‘We’ll be there belive.’
¶ Like bedene, sometimes merely expletive, or for the sake of a rhyme.
† 4. as adj. Eager; glad (perhaps by confusion for blithe). Obs.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst. (1841), 13. Than Pylat is besy and ryth blyff, And prayth that Cryst he xuld not quelle.
c. 1430. Syr Gener., 3105. Oon told hir he was yet on liue, And she was therof ful bliue.
1651. Ordinary, V. iv. in Hazl., Dodsley, XII. 311. This buss is a blive guerdon.
