Where does “leasse” come from?

leasse (Middle English) comes from Old English lǣs, from Proto-Germanic laisiz, from Proto-Indo-European leys- — to trace, to track.

Ancestry of “leasse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlǣsless, lest; meadow; pasture
2Proto-Germaniclaisizsmaller, lesser; smaller, lesser, fewer, lower
3Proto-Indo-Europeanleys-to trace, to track
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leys- →Every word from Proto-Germanic laisiz →Every word from Old English lǣs →