Lief

·noun Dear; beloved.

II. Lief ·adv Willing; disposed.

III. Lief ·noun A dear one; a sweetheart.

IV. Lief ·noun ·same·as Lif.

V. Lief ·noun Pleasing; agreeable; acceptable; preferable.

VI. Lief ·adv Gladly; willingly; freely;

— now used only in the phrases, had as lief, and would as lief; as, I had, or would, as lief go as not.

lief
(Sax. leof, past part. of luftan to love.) Willingly; gladly.--Johnson. This word was formerly in go...

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.