live-in

American  

[liv-in] / ˈlɪvˌɪn /

adjective

1. Also residing at the place of one's employment.

   a live-in maid.

2. living in a cohabitant relationship.

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noun

1. a live-in person.

live in British  

/ lɪv /

verb

1. (of an employee, as in a hospital or hotel) to dwell at one's place of employment

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adjective

1. living in the place at which one works

   a live-in maid

2. living with someone else in that person's home

   a live-in lover

live in Idioms  

1. Reside in one's place of employment or schooling, as in They wanted a baby-sitter who could live in , or Joe was planning to live in at the college . This expression is used primarily for domestic servants or students. [Late 1800s] Also see live out .

2. live in something . Continue in existence, memory, or some feeling. This sense appears in such phrases as live in the past , meaning “to concentrate on past memories,” or live in hope of , meaning “to continue anticipating that something will happen.” For example, Alice lived in the past; she had no interest in current events , or Jim lived in hope of getting a teaching post . Also see live in sin .

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Etymology

Origin of live-in

1950–55; adj., noun use of verb phrase live in ( a place )

Example Sentences

Initially, it had seemed that Johnson was on his own with his unwelcome new live-in.

From Los Angeles Times

“Election Day” does unfold like a live-in video game.

From Los Angeles Times

George Koenig owned a home-care agency, which charged families for hourly or live-in care, for two decades.

From The Wall Street Journal

Meanwhile, his live-in girlfriend at the time had to pay all their bills.

From Salon

Mays worked for many years in the Mar Vista area as a live-in elder care provider, and he’d bump into Bradley at a park, or Morgan in the strip mall that includes the grocery store.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cover
• establish
• fill
• hold
• inhabit
• involve
• keep
• maintain
• own
• populate
• remain
• sit
• stay