lave¹

[leyv] /leɪv/

verb (used with object), laved, laving.

to wash; bathe.

(of a river, sea, etc.) to flow along, against, or past; wash.

Obsolete. to ladle; pour or dip with a ladle.

verb (used without object), laved, laving.

Archaic. to bathe.

Origin

before 900; Middle English laven, partly < Old French laver < Latin lavāre to wash; partly representing Old English lafian to pour water on, wash, itself perhaps < Latin lavāre

Related forms

unlaved, adjective

unlaving, adjective

lave²

[leyv] /leɪv/

noun, Scot.

the remainder; the rest.

Origin

before 1000; Middle English (Scots); Old English lāf; cognate with Old High German leiba, Old Norse leif, Gothic laiba; akin to leave¹

lave³

[leyv] /leɪv/

adjective, British

(of ears) large and drooping.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English; special use of lave¹

Examples from the web for lave

Here, nuts talk to nuts, and are greeted with scorn whenever they lave their little nutty circles.

British Dictionary definitions for lave

lave

/leɪv/

verb

an archaic word for wash

Word Origin

Old English lafian, perhaps from Latin lavāre to wash

Word Origin and History for lave

c.1200, from Old English gelafian "wash by pouring, pour (water)," possibly an early English or West Germanic borrowing (cf. Dutch laven, German laben) of Latin lavare "to wash," or its Old French descendant, laver. Latin lavare is from PIE *leu(e)- "to wash" (cf. Latin luere "to wash," Greek louein "to wash, bathe," Old Irish loathar "basin," Breton laouer "trough," Old English leaþor "lather").