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 sb. + -FUL. Some of the forms may be due to association with LAY sb.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’s 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! Ibid. (1814), ‘For a’ that an’ a’ that.’ The true and leilfu’ cause.
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 † Leefully adv., permissibly, lawfully; † Leefulness, 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 ye one part of the sacrament a substaunce but an earthlye accidente.
