Láf

According to the Old English Dictionary:

e;

láf

f. I. what is left, remnant, remains, relic, remainder, rest, lave [in northern dialects] :-- Láf superstes, Ælfc. Gr. 9; Som. 11, 7. Healmes láf stipulæ, Ælfc. Gl. 59; Som. 67, 131; Wt. Voc. 38, 51. Ðǽr wæs ungemetlíc wæl geslægen and sió láf wið ðone here friþ nam there was immense slaughter, and those who were left made peace with the Danes, Chr. 867; Erl. 72, 17: 894; Erl. 93, 1. Seó wǽpna láf the weapons' leavings, the survivors of a battle, Cd. 93; Th. 121, 5; Gen. 2005. Secg gára láf se ða gúþe genæs, 94; Th. 121, 32; Gen. 2019. Ða Norþmen dreórig daraþa láf, Chr. 937; Erl. 115, 3; Æðelst. 54. Seoððan se écea dǽl of biþ ðæt is seó sáwl hwæt biþ elles seó láf búton wyrma mete when the eternal part, that is the soul, is gone, what else is the rest but food for worms? Blickl. Homl. iii. 32. Ic beó tó láfe resto, Ælfc. Gr. 24; Som. 25, 62. Ne wearþ ðǽr forþon án Bret tó láfe there [at Anderida] was not even one Briton left, Chr. 491; Erl. 14, 7. Ðæs folces ðe ðær tó láfe wæs, Blickl. Homl. 79, 20. Betǽcan eów on hǽðenra hand heries láfe to deliver you into the hands of the heathen, all that is left of or by a host, Wulfst. 295, 20. Sumes þinges láfe reliquiæ, Ælfc. Gr. 13; Som. 16, 19. Láfa árleásra forwurþaþ reliquiæ impiorum interibunt, Ps. Spl. 36, 40. Wætra láfe the survivors of the flood, Cd. 75; Th. 93, 21; Gen. 1549. Hí námon ða láfa tulerunt reliquias, Mt. Kmbl. 14, 20. II. used in poetry of weapons with the gen. of the implement employed in making them :-- Ic eom wráðra láf fýres and feóle I am the leaving of foes, of fire and of file [a sword, forged in the fire and sharpened by the file], Exon. 126 a; Th. 484, 6; Rä. 70, 3. Homera láfa swords, Beo. Th. 5651; B. 2829: Exon. 102 b; Th. 388, 14; Rä. 6, 7: Chr. 937; Erl. 112, 6; Æðelst. 6. III. what is left as an inheritance, legacy, heirloom [of armour or weapons: 'das schwert ist des mannes grösztes kleinod, das nur auf seinen nächsten männlichen erben übergeht' Grmm. Gesch. D. S. p. 12] :-- Beaduscrúda betst ðæt míne breóst wereþ; ðæt is Hrædlan láf, Welandes geweorc, Beo. Th. 913; Bö 454. Gomel swyrd Eánmundes láf an ancient sword, an heirloom from Eanmund, 5216; B. 2611: 5250; B. 2628. Ðǽr brægd eorl Beówulfes ealde láfe, 1595; B. 795: 2981; B. 1488. Hét in gefetian Hréðles láfe; næs sincmáððum sélra on sweordes hád, 4389; B. 2191. IV. a relict, widow :-- Láf vel forlǽten wíf derelicta, Ælfc. Gl. 88; Som. 74, 65; Wrt. Voc. 50, 46. Ne nime ðæs forþfarenan láf nánne óðerne man búton his bróður uxor defuncti non nubet alteri, sed accipiet eam frater ejus, Deut. 25, 5. And ǽfre ne geweorþe ðæt Cristen man gewífige on ðæs láfe ðe swá neáh wǽre on woroldcundre sibbe and never let it happen that a Christian man marry the relict of him who was so near [within the prohibited degrees] in worldly relationship, L. Eth. vi. 12; Th. i. 318, 15: L. C. E. 7; Th. i. 364, 23. Se forlét his fulluht and lifode on héðenum þeáwe swá ðæt hé heafde his feder láfe tó wífe, Chr. 616; Erl. 21, 40. Paplinus genam Æðelburge Eádwines láfe and gewát on scipe tó Cent, 633; Erl. 25, 21. Ðá gewát Eádríc ... Ðá hæfde Eádríc láfe and nán bearn then Eadric died ... Eadric left a widow but no child, Chart. Th. 272, 22. [Goth. laiba a remnant: O. Frs. láva: O. Sax. léba: Icel. leif: O. H. Ger. leiba.] DER. ege-, ende-, eormen-, here-, húsel-, met-, sǽ-, un-, weá-, ýð-, yrfe-láf. laf