Old English leof "dear, valued, beloved, pleasant;" also as a noun, "a beloved person, friend," from Proto-Germanic *leubo- (cognates: Old Norse ljutr, Old Frisian liaf, Dutch lief, Old High German liob, German lieb, Gothic liufs "dear, beloved"), from PIE root *leubh- "love" (see love (n.)). As an adverb, "dearly, willingly" from c. 1250. I want and I'd love to are overworked and misused to fill the hole left in the language when I would lief faded in 17c.
雙語例句
1. I would as lief kill myself as betray my master.
我寧愿自殺也不會出賣我的主人。
來自《權威詞典》
2. Frankly, I'd just as lief stay.
坦白地說, 我愿意留下來.
來自《現代英漢綜合大詞典》
3. Level 45 Woodcutting and an axe to help Lumberjack Lief.