†beˈleave,-eve,v.Obs.Forms: 1 belǽfan, 2 bilæfen, -læuen, -leauen, 2–4 bi-, beleue(n, (4 bi-, bylaue), 4–5 beleve, bleve, blewy(n, (5 byleve), 6 beleaue. pa.tense 1–2 be-, bilǽfde, -leafde, 2–3 -lefde, 3 -leaued(e, -lefte, 3–4 -leued(e, -left(e, -lafte, blefede, 4 blefte, 4–7 beleft(e. pa.pple.1 belǽfed, 2–4 bi-, beleued, 3 (-lefued), -leved, -left, 4 bleft, 4–5 byleft, -lefft, -laft.[OE.belǽfan:—OTeut.andGoth.bilaibjan,f.bi-, be- + laibjan, inOE.lǽfan to leave, a casualderiv.ofOTeut.*lîban to remain, which appeared inEng.in belive. Thus originally and properly transitive; but very early substituted for theintrans.belīve. In 14th c. often syncopated to bleve(n,esp.in Kentish;cf.mod.G. bleiben,Du.blijven.]I.transitive.1.To let or cause to remain behind, to go away without taking with one, to abandon.c1175Lamb.Hom.79Ho hine bilefde liggen half quic.
c1200Ormin 8913He wass þa behinndenn hemm Bilefedd att te temmple.
c1205Lay.18648Þe eorl..bilefde his wif in Tintaieol.
1297R.Glouc.421Hys fader..ladde hym..into Normandye, & byleuede hym þere.
c1330Assump.Virg.759Thei leide þe bodi in a stone, And bileft alle in þat stede.
a1400Morte Arth. 2380The cors of Kayone..at Came es belevefede.
1513Douglasæneis x. xi. 166Men..Quham..to myschewus deyd beleft haue I.
1627MayLucan viii. (T.)Wondering at fortune's turns, and scarce is he Beleft, relating his own misery.
b.To leave (something) behind to; to leave at death; to leave in the possession or power of.c1200Trin.Coll.Hom.183Hie bileueð uncuðe men þe aihte.
1387TrevisaHigden RollsSer.VI. 367Þe kyngdom[they]byleft to Colwulfus.
c1410LoveBonavent. Mirr. vi. (GibbsMS.)Lord to þe is bylafte[1530 belefte]þe pore peple.
1557K. Arthur (Copland) vii. i,The two men..belefte him to Syr Kay.
2.To allow to remain over; to leave out of count or process: to pass over, let go, omit.c1205Lay.29363ælcne bilefued mon he lette bilimien.
1297R.Glouc.173He ne beleuede noȝt on.
c1450Merlin xvii. 276And v C men that were hym be-lefte of the bataile.
3.To go away from (a person or place); to depart from, forsake, quit, abandon.c1205Lay.8569Lundene we mote bilæuen.
a1225Ancr. R. 110And fluen alle vrom him & bilefden him ase vreomede.
c1400Destr. Troy xxxv. 13456A buyldyng..was of long tyme beleft, & no lede there.
b.fig.To turn from, forsake.c1175Lamb.Hom.81He scal his sunne uor-saken and bileuen.
a1225Ancr. R. 394Heo wule..bileauen þene deouel.
a1300Cursor M. 9053,I haf bi-left mi lauerd lau.
c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 35Trowth and luf es al bylaft.
c.To leave off, cease give up, abandon (action).c1175Lamb.Hom.93Bileafden heo heore timbrunge.
c1380Sir Ferumb. 3344Het hem þe assaut be-leue.
c1400Solomon'sBk.Wisd.82Ne bileue þou nouȝth to trauaile.
4.To let go (from one's hold).a1225Ancr. R. 232Hwon two bereð one burðene, & te oðer bileaueð hit.
II.intr.[taking place of belive:=Ger.bleiben.]5.To remain over, survive, be left in existence.a1000Psalms (Spelm.) cv[i]. 10An of him ne belæfde[Vulg.non remansit].
1297R.Glouc.372Þer ne byleuede noȝt..þat nas to grounde ybroȝt.
c1350MS.in Archæol. XXX. 352Of y⊇ ewyll xal no thynge blewyn.
c1435Torr. Portugal 359Had byn the gyant belevand, They had not partyd soo.
b.To remain behind in a place.c1250Gen.& Ex. 3114La! god it wot, sal ðe[r]-of bi-leuen non fot.
1340Ayenb. 190Yrobbed..zuo þet him naȝt ne blefte.
c1380Sir Ferumb. 1595Þe hedes on þe tre by-lafte.
a1400Octouian 1540The Soudan..Bleft yn Fraunce, Cytes to brenne.
1480CaxtonChron.Eng.lxi. 45,I beleft allone in my chambre.
c.To remain in a condition or state, to continue.c1200Trin.Coll.Hom.87Þe children weren clensed of sinnen and þus bilefden.
c1250Gen.& Ex. 671Babel, ðat tur, bilef unmad.
a1300Cursor M. 7662Þer mani man fell vnder scheild, Bot with dauid be-left þe feild.
1340Ayenb. 12Þe mayde Marie blefte eure mayde.
c1430Syr Gener. 5737Here speres beleft hole booth.
6.To remain for the time being (in a place); to stay, abide, continue, dwell with (a person).c1175Lamb.Hom.149Ȝe moten..him, foleȝe and mid him bileue.
c1205Lay.19777Ne dursten heo þer bilæfen.
c1250Gen.& Ex. 800Abram..and sarray bileften bi-twen betel and ay.
1340Ayenb. 245Mid Him uor to bleve.
c1425Seven Sag. (P.) 48Gyf he schal byleve with me.
7.to be beleft was often used in the sense of ‘To remain, to be’; also ‘to be become of.’c1340Cursor M. 7736 (Trin.)His coupe his spere where mai hit be..Where be þei now bileued.
Ibid.18558He wrouȝte bi wicche-craft And wiþ þe deuel was bilaft.
c1440Bone Flor. 733He ys beleft wyth Syr Garcy Ageyn you.
