† unˈlief, a. Obs.
[OE. unléof (un-1 7), = MDu. (Du.) onlief, OHG. unliup, unleub, MHG. unliep (G. unlieb), ON. {uacu}lj{uacu}fr, Goth. unliubs.]
Not dear or valued; disliked, distasteful, unpleasant.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 189 Ðe lichame..and þe gost..fliten and winnen bitwenen hem, þat al þat is on unlef and unqueme, hit is þat oðer iqueme. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2949 Therfore saintes to seche and to sere halowes,..it ledis vnto laithnes and vnlefe werkes. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas i. i. (1544) 2 Theyr..unware mischief..It was to them ful uncouth and unlefe. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.) I. 42 To all men thou shalbe unleffe,..And over all sette at naughte. 1513 Douglas æneid xii. xiii. 48 Sustenand thus..euery stres, baith lesum and onleif. a 1596 Sir T. Chaloner in Harington's Nugæ Ant. (1804) II. 379 Nat so unleef, that I shold wysh To be thy Trojan wyfe. |