LIEF, adjective [See Love.] Dear; beloved. obsolete LIEF, adverb [supra. This word coincides with love, Latin lubet, libet, and the primary sense is to be free, prompt, ready.] Gladly; willingly; freely; used in familiar speech, in the phrase, I had as lief go as not. It has been supposed that had in this phrase is a corruption of would. At any rate it is anomalous.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI