leofre

Etymology
The adverbial use dates back at least to Proto-West Germanic, when the word would have been *leubōzā. This usage persists into Modern German to this day: Proto-West Germanic *miz isti leubōzā (“I would rather”) → mē is lēofre, German mir ist lieber.

Adjective

 * 1) inflection of :
 * 2)   and   
 * 3)  and    
 * 1)  and    

Adverb

 * 1) used to specify a choice or preference: rather
 * 2) * late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
 * "ang"

- Him wæs lēofre þæt hine man ofslōge þonne hine man ġebunde.


 * 1) * late 10th century, Ælfric, the Old English Hexateuch, Genesis 29:19
 * "ang"

- Lēofre mē is þæt iċ hīe selle þē þonne ōðrum menn. Wuna mid mē!


 * 1) * c. 1000, unknown author, Vercelli Homily IX
 * "ang"

- Ġif hwelċ mann biþ on helle āne niht, þonne biþ him lēofre þæt hē hangiġe seofon þūsende wintra on þām lenġestan treowe ufeweardum.


 * 1) * late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
 * "ang"

- Hīe cwǣdon þæt him lēofre wǣre þæt hīe mid þǣre byrġ ætgædere forwurden þonne hīe man būtan him tōwurpe.


 * 1) * late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
 * "ang"

- Scīpio ġebræġd his sweord and swōr þæt him lēofre wǣre þæt hē hine selfne ācwealde þonne hē forlēte his fæderēðel, and sæġde ēac þæt hē þāra ǣlċes wolde ēhtan swā swā his fēondes þe þæs wordes wǣre þæt fram Rōme byrġ þōhte.


 * 1) * c. 1005, Ælfric's Letter to Sigeweard
 * "ang"

- Hū mæġ sē mann wel faran þe his mōd āwent fram eallum þissum bōcum, and biþ him swā ānwille þæt him lēofre biþ þæt hē libbe ǣfre be his āgnum dihte āsċīred fram þissum, swelċe hē ne cunne Cristes ġesetnessa?