† ˈleeful, a. Obs.
Forms: α. 3 læfful, leafful, 4–5 leveful, 5 lieveful, 5–6 levefull(e. β. 4 leffel, -ol, li(e)fful, leyffull, leoful, leefful(l, lefulle, 5 laifull, lefful, 4–6 leful(l, leifull, 4–7 leeful(l, 5–6 leafull, 6 lieful(l, leiffull, leyfull, lyefull.
[ME. leveful, f. leve, leave n.1 + -ful. Some of the forms may be due to association with lay n.3]
Permissible, right, lawful; just.
| c 1205 Lay. 3033 [Heo] nom hire leaf-fulne hure [c 1275 laþfolne oþ]. Ibid. 10854 For he wes swiðe læfful, alle Brut luueden. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. iv. 10 (Camb. MS.) Ne I trowe nat by the Iugement of socrates þat it weere Leueful to me to hide the sothe. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 84 Wiþ þre condiciouns it is leefful to swere. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 431 Wherto wilt þou lyve while it is not covenable, noþer leoful [v.rr. leefful, leffol, leeful], noþer semeliche? c 1400 Destr. Troy 2948 Þof it be laifull to ladys and oþer les wemen. 1445 Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 14 It sal be lieveful to the alderman and balyheis for to tak [etc.]. a 1450 Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 301 It is not lefful to us, ȝe seyn, No maner man for to slen. 1485 Act 1 Hen. VII, c. 10 §10 That it be leeful to youre Highnesse to graunt to youre seid besechers youre lettres of sauf⁓conduyt. 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 166 Leuefull Company, and Honest Besynes. 1526 Tindale Matt. xii. 12 It is lefull to do a good dede on the saboth daye. 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 274 Halkyng, hountyng, armes, and leiffull amour. c 1575 Balfour Practicks (1754) 13 It sall be leifful to us to put our handis thairto quhen we pleis. 1600 Holland Livy viii. x. 288 It is not leefull the enemie to seise thereon. 1614 J. Davies Eclogue in Browne Sheph. Pipe G 6 b, Hence forward then I must..con My leere in leefull lore. 1802 Scott Minstr. Scot. Bord. (1803) III. 77 Tell your sister Sarah To come and lift her leafu' lord! 1814 ― For a' that an' a' that, The true and leilfu' cause. |
¶ b. leeful lane: substituted for lee-lane (see lee-lone). (Cf. leesome a.1 b.)
| a 1758 Ramsay Address Thanks xviii, Whilk gart some aft their leeful lane, Bring to the warld the luckless wean. 1832–52 Laing in Whistle-Binkie (Scot. Songs) Ser. iii. 9 The auld gudewife gade out at e'en, An' owre the craft her leefu' lane. |
Hence † ˈleefully adv., permissibly, lawfully; † ˈleefulness, lawfulness.
| c 1340 Hampole Prose Tr. (1866) 20 Worldely men or women the which hauntene leuefully worldely goodes. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 132 In many cases sugetis may leffly wiþholde tiþis. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. i. 136 Leefulnes and vnleefulnes. 1483 Cath. Angl. 212/1 To do Leffullness (A. to do Vnlefulnesse), illicebrare. 1490 Caxton Eneydos ii. 14 His sone yolus..beynge..soo fayr..it maye leefully be sayd that nature hadde doon her deuoyr. 1534 More On the Passion Wks. 1336/1 The liefulnesse thereof, was knowen and taught by the tradicion of thapostles theymselfe. 1540 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 159 Leffally chossen and elected Bayllyffs. 1548 Gest Pr. Masse B vj b, Then could not Irenee leyfully call y⊇ one part of the sacrament a substaunce but an earthlye accidente. |