leese

See also: Leese

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English lesen, from Old English *lēosan (only attested in compounds: belēosan, forlēosan, etc.), from Proto-Germanic *leusaną (“to lose”), from Proto-Indo-European *lews- (“to cut; sever; separate; loosen; lose”).

Verb

leese

1. (obsolete) To lose.
   • 1609, William Shakespeare, Sonnet 5:

     But flowers distill'd though they with winter meet,

     Leese but their show; their substance still lives sweet.

   • (Can we date this quote by Lord Burleigh and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     They would rather leese their friend than their jest.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Edmund Spenser to this entry?)

Etymology 2

From Middle English lesen, from Old English lȳsan, līesan (“to let loose; release”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *lausijaną. Cognate with Dutch lozen, German lösen, Swedish lösa.

Verb

1. (obsolete) To release, set free.
2. (obsolete) To loosen, unfasten.

Etymology 3

Compare French léser, Latin laesus.

Verb

leese

1. (obsolete, transitive) To hurt.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)