beleave

Meaning

Verb

• To leave behind, abandon.
• To be left; to remain.

Origin

• A merger of two Middle English verbs:
• beleven, from Old English belǣfan ("to leave, let remain"), from Proto-Germanic *bilaibijaną. Equivalent to be- + leave.
• bliven, beliven, from Old English belīfan ("to remain"), from Proto-Germanic *bilībaną. Hence belive.