Obs. Forms: 1 lofian, 3 Orm. lofenn, 4 louve, 4–5 loove, lof(e, Sc. loyf, 4–6 love, Sc. low(e, 5 lowf, 5–6 Sc. loif(e, 6 loave, Sc. lowff, loff. [OE. lofian = OS. loƀon (Du. loven), OHG. lobôn, lobên (MHG., mod.G. loben), ON. lofa (Sw. lofva, Da. love):—OTeut. loƀôjan, -æjan, f. *loƀo- praise: see LOF.]

1

  1.  trans. To praise, extol.

2

a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Gen., 508. Ic ʓehyrde hine þine dæd & word lofian on his leohte.

3

c. 1200.  Ormin, 3484. Menn sholldenn cnawenn himm & lofenn himm & wurrþenn.

4

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 18487. Loues nu vr lauerd dright.

5

14[?].  How Good Wife taught Dau., 140 (in Barbour’s Bruce, etc., 529). Loyf all leid, and no man lak.

6

1456.  Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 27. He was lufit, and lovit, and honourit throuout all the warld.

7

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, XI. 1460. I yow besek,… Quha will nocht low, lak nocht my eloquence.

8

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, I. Prol. 427. Virgill did diligence … Eneas for to loife and magnify.

9

1535.  Coverdale, Ps. cvi. 32. They wolde exalte him in the congregacion of the people, & loaue him in the seate of the elders.

10

a. 1586.  Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, l. 1. Luiffaris, leif of to loif so hie ȝour ladyes.

11

  with cogn, obj.  a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter cv. 12. Þai … looued his lofe [Vulg. laudaverunt laudem ejus].

12

1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 321. Þai … loved his lovyng als þai couth say.

13

  b.  absol. To give praise; also, to flatter.

14

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. (Th.), lxx. 21. Mine weleras ʓefeoð, wynnum lofiað.

15

c. 1470.  Henryson, Fables, III. xxx. in Anglia, IX. 360. To loif and le that settis thair haill delite.

16

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 87. For first to lofe, and syne to lak, Peter! it is schame.

17

1549.  Compl. Scot., xv. 130. To loue vitht out flattery.

18

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. x. 474. Gif tha Loue, praise ouermekle, or commend.

19

  2.  To appraise, estimate or state the price or value of.

20

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 213. Þe sullere loueð his þing dere…. Ðe beȝer bet litel þar fore.

21

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 314/2. Lovon, and bedyn as chapmen, licitor.

22

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst. xx. 239. Now, Judas, sen he shalbe sold How lowfys thou hym?

23

1530.  Palsgr., 614/2. I love, as a chapman loveth his ware that he wyll sell…. Come of, howe moche love you it at?

24