Lave is a simple, monosyllabic word that magically makes the mundane act of washing poetic. Shakespeare used it in The Taming of the Shrew when Gremio assured the father of his …

lave (leɪv) vb an archaic word for wash [Old English lafian, perhaps from Latin lavāre to wash]

LAVE definition: to wash; bathe. See examples of lave used in a sentence.

Nov 1, 2025 · lave (third-person singular simple present laves, present participle laving, simple past and past participle laved) (archaic except literary, poetic) (transitive) To bathe or wash …

Definition of 'lave' lave in British English (leɪv ) verb an archaic word for wash

Lave definition: To wash; bathe.

There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb lave, three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

"Lave" derives from Old English and Old Norse roots, both tied to washing. This lineage tells a story of shared cultural practices around hygiene and water’s role in daily life.

lave - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.

From Middle English lave, laif, lafe ("remainder, rest, that which is left"), from Old English lāf ("lave, remainder, rest"), from Proto-Germanic *laibō (“remainder”), from Proto-Indo-European …