live

[ liv ]

/ lɪv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR live ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

to have life, as an organism; be alive; be capable of vital functions: all things that live.

to continue to have life; remain alive: to live to a ripe old age.

to continue in existence, operation, memory, etc.; last: a book that lives in my memory.

to maintain or support one's existence; provide for oneself: to live on one's income.

to feed or subsist (usually followed by on or upon): to live on rice and bananas.

to dwell or reside (usually followed by in, at, etc.): to live in a cottage.

to pass life in a specified manner: They lived happily ever after.

to direct or regulate one's life: to live by the golden rule.

to experience or enjoy to the full: At 40 she was just beginning to live.

to cohabit (usually followed by with).

to escape destruction or remain afloat, as a ship or aircraft.

verb (used with object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

to pass (life): to live a life of ease.

to practice, represent, or exhibit in one's life: to live one's philosophy.

Verb Phrases

live down, to live so as to allow (a mistake, disgrace, etc.) to be forgotten or forgiven: She'll never live that crucial moment of failure down.

live in/out, to reside at or away from the place of one's employment, especially as a domestic servant: Their butler lives in, but the maids live out.

live up to, to live in accordance with (expectations or an ideal or standard); measure up to: He never lived up to his father's vision of him.

Nearby words

liu pang, liu shao qi, liu shaoqi, liuzhou, livable, live, live and learn, live and let live, live axle, live birth, live by one's wits

Idioms

live high off/on the hog. hog(def 16).

live it up, Informal. to live in an extravagant or wild manner; pursue pleasure: He started living it up after he got out of the army.

live well, to live comfortably: They're not wealthy but they live well.

Origin of live

before 900; Middle English liven, Old English lifian, libban; cognate with Dutch leven, German leben, Old Norse lifa, Gothic liban

Definition for live (2 of 2)

live

[ lahyv ]

/ laɪv /

adjective, liv·er, liv·est for 4–7, 13–15.

being alive; living; alive: live animals.

of, relating to, or during the life of a living being: the animal's live weight.

characterized by or indicating the presence of living creatures: the live sounds of the forest.

Informal. (of a person) energetic; alert; lively: The club members are a really live bunch.

full of life, energy or activity: His approach in any business dealing is live and fresh.

burning or glowing: live coals in the fireplace.

having resilience or bounce: a live tennis ball.

being in play, as a baseball or football.

loaded or unexploded, as a cartridge or shell: live ammunition.

made up of actual persons: to perform before a live audience.

(of a radio or television program) broadcast while happening or being performed; not prerecorded or taped: a live telecast.

being highly resonant or reverberant, as an auditorium or concert hall.

vivid or bright, as color.

of current interest or importance, as a question or issue; controversial; unsettled.

moving or imparting motion; powered: the live head on a lathe.

still in use, or to be used, as type set up or copy for printing.

Also alive. Electricity. electrically connected to a source of potential difference, or electrically charged so as to have a potential different from that of earth: a live wire.

adverb

(of a radio or television program) at the moment of its happening or being performed; not on tape or by prerecording: a program broadcast live.

Origin of live

1535–45; 1930–35 for def 11; aphetic variant of alive, used attributively

Related formslive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for live

And how we want to live our lives in light of those differences.
In 2015, Let’s Try for More Compassion|Gene Robinson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Despite his efforts to live in the present, he seemed haunted by the specter of his father.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There was something cathartic about deleting this 2,500-word monster of a farewell, and resolving to live.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen|Parker Molloy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Marrying yourself merely underscores selfishness and self-interest, rather than enabling you to live singly in the best way.
Why Singles Should Say ‘I Don’t’ to The Self-Marriage Movement|Tim Teeman|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

They just might change how they feel, how healthy they are, and how they live their lives.
Why Your New Year’s Diet Will Fail|Carrie Arnold|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The rooms are lofty, and all on one floor, because the Burmese do not like to live in rooms with people above.
From Edinburgh to India & Burmah|William G. Burn Murdoch
They dare not let you live, for your existence spells their doom.
Under the Witches' Moon|Nathan Gallizier
But the youth is young, brave, and should live in honor and high promotion.
The War Tiger|Wiliam Dalton
They live only in the library, as the rest is so enormous to light and heat.
Letters of a Diplomat's Wife|Mary King Waddington
I love them that know how to live, be it even as those going under, for such are those going across.
Plain English|Marian Wharton

British Dictionary definitions for live (1 of 2)

live

/ (lɪv) /

verb (mainly intr)

to show the characteristics of life; be alive

to remain alive or in existence

to exist in a specified wayto live poorly

(usually foll by in or at) to reside or dwellto live in London

(often foll by on) to continue or lastthe pain still lives in her memory

(usually foll by by) to order one's life (according to a certain philosophy, religion, etc)

(foll by on, upon, or by) to support one's style of life; subsistto live by writing

(foll by with) to endure the effects (of a crime, mistake, etc)

(foll by through) to experience and survivehe lived through the war

(tr) to pass or spend (one's life, etc)

to enjoy life to the fullhe knows how to live

(tr) to put into practice in one's daily life; expresshe lives religion every day

live and let live to refrain from interfering in others' lives; to be tolerant

where one lives US informal in one's sensitive or defenceless position

Word Origin for live

Old English libban, lifian; related to Old High German libēn, Old Norse lifa

British Dictionary definitions for live (2 of 2)

live

/ (laɪv) /

adjective

(prenominal) showing the characteristics of life

(usually prenominal) of, relating to, or abounding in lifethe live weight of an animal

(usually prenominal) of current interest; controversiala live issue

actuala real live cowboy

informal full of life and energy

(of a coal, ember, etc) glowing or burning

(esp of a volcano) not extinct

loaded or capable of explodinga live bomb

radio television transmitted or present at the time of performance, rather than being a recordinga live show

(of a record)

recorded in concert
recorded in one studio take, without overdubs or splicing

connected to a source of electric powera live circuit

(esp of a colour or tone) brilliant or splendid

acoustically reverberanta live studio

sport (of a ball) in play

(of rocks, ores, etc) not quarried or mined; native

being in a state of motion or transmitting power; positively connected to a driving member

printing

(of copy) not yet having been set into type
(of type that has been set) still in use

adverb

during, at, or in the form of a live performancethe show went out live

Word Origin for live

C16: from on live alive

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for live (1 of 2)

live

Old English lifian (Anglian), libban (West Saxon) "to be, to live, have life; to experience," also "to supply oneself with food, to pass life (in some condition)," from Proto-Germanic *liben (cf. Old Norse lifa "to live, remain," Old Frisian libba, German leben, Gothic liban "to live"), from PIE root *leip- "to remain, continue" (cf. Greek liparein "to persist, persevere;" see leave). Meaning "to make a residence, dwell" is from c.1200. Related: Lived; living.

According to the Dutch Prouerbe ... Leuen ende laetan leuen, To liue and to let others liue. [Malynes, 1622]

To live it up "live gaily and extravagantly" is from 1903. To live up to "act in accordance with" is 1690s, from earlier live up "live on a high (moral or mental) level" (1680s). To live (something) down "outwear (some slander or embarrassment)" is from 1842. To live with "cohabit as husband and wife" is attested from 1749; sense of "to put up with" is attested from 1937. Expression live and learn is attested from c.1620.

Word Origin and History for live (1 of 2)

live

adj.

1540s, "having life," later (1610s) "burning, glowing," a shortening of alive (q.v.). Sense of "containing unspent energy or power" (live ammunition, etc.) is from 1799. Meaning "in-person" (of performance) is first attested 1934. Live wire is attested from 1890; figurative sense of "active person" is from 1903.

Medicine definitions for live

live

[ līv ]

adj.

Having life; alive.

Capable of replicating in a host's cells.

Containing living microorganisms or viruses capable of replicating in a host's cells.

Idioms and Phrases with live

live

In addition to the idioms beginning with live

live and learn
live and let live
live by one's wits
live dangerously
live down
live for the moment
live from day to day
live from hand to mouth
live happily ever after
live high off the hog
live in
live in each other's pockets
live in sin
live it up
live like a king
live on
live on borrowed time
live on the edge
live out
live through
live together
live up to
live wire
live with

also see:

alive (live) and kicking
as I live and breathe
close to home (where one lives)
(live from) day to day
fat of the land, live off the
high off the hog, live
in one's pocket (live in each other's pockets)
learn to live with
people who live in glass houses

live

verb (used without object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

verb (used with object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

Verb Phrases

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of live

Definition for live (2 of 2)

live

adjective, liv·er, liv·est for 4–7, 13–15.

adverb

Origin of live

Examples from the Web for live

British Dictionary definitions for live (1 of 2)

live

verb (mainly intr)

Word Origin for live

British Dictionary definitions for live (2 of 2)

live

adjective

adverb

Word Origin for live

Word Origin and History for live (1 of 2)

live

Word Origin and History for live (1 of 2)

live

Medicine definitions for live

live

adj.

Idioms and Phrases with live

live