love

[ luhv ]

/ lʌv /

noun

a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

sexual passion or desire.

a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

(used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?

a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.

sexual intercourse; copulation.

(initial capital letter) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.

affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbor.

strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books.

the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.

the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.

Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing.

a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.

verb (used with object), loved, lov·ing.

to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.

to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).

to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.

to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.

to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.

to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object), loved, lov·ing.

to have love or affection for another person; be in love.

Verb Phrases

love up, to hug and cuddle: She loves him up every chance she gets.

Words nearby love

louÿs, lovable, lovage, lovastatin, lovat, love, love affair, love apple, love arrows, love at first sight, love beads

Idioms for love

for love,

out of affection or liking; for pleasure.
without compensation; gratuitously: He took care of the poor for love.

for the love of, in consideration of; for the sake of: For the love of mercy, stop that noise.

in love, infused with or feeling deep affection or passion: a youth always in love.

in love with, feeling deep affection or passion for (a person, idea, occupation, etc.); enamored of: in love with the girl next door; in love with one's work.

make love,

to embrace and kiss as lovers.
to engage in sexual activity.

no love lost, dislike; animosity: There was no love lost between the two brothers.

Origin of love

before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English lufu, cognate with Old Frisian luve, Old High German luba, Gothic lubō; (v.) Middle English lov(i)en, Old English lufian; cognate with Old Frisian luvia, Old High German lubōn to love, Latin lubēre (later libēre) to be pleasing; akin to lief

SYNONYMS FOR love

1 tenderness, fondness, predilection, warmth, passion, adoration.

1, 2 Love, affection, devotion all mean a deep and enduring emotional regard, usually for another person. Love may apply to various kinds of regard: the charity of the Creator, reverent adoration toward God or toward a person, the relation of parent and child, the regard of friends for each other, romantic feelings for another person, etc. Affection is a fondness for others that is enduring and tender, but calm. Devotion is an intense love and steadfast, enduring loyalty to a person; it may also imply consecration to a cause.

2 liking, inclination, regard, friendliness.

15 like.

16 adore, adulate, worship.

ANTONYMS FOR love

1, 2 hatred, dislike.

15, 16 detest, hate.

OTHER WORDS FROM love

out·love, verb (used with object), out·loved, out·lov·ing.o·ver·love, verb, o·ver·loved, o·ver·lov·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for outlove

love

/ (lʌv) /

verb

(tr) to have a great attachment to and affection for

(tr) to have passionate desire, longing, and feelings for

(tr) to like or desire (to do something) very much

(tr) to make love to

(intr) to be in love

noun

an intense emotion of affection, warmth, fondness, and regard towards a person or thing
(as modifier)love song; love story

a deep feeling of sexual attraction and desire

wholehearted liking for or pleasure in something

Christianity

God's benevolent attitude towards man
man's attitude of reverent devotion towards God

Also: my love a beloved person: used esp as an endearment

British informal a term of address, esp but not necessarily for a person regarded as likable

(in tennis, squash, etc) a score of zero

fall in love to become in love

for love without payment

for love or money (used with a negative) in any circumstancesI wouldn't eat a snail for love or money

for the love of for the sake of

in love in a state of strong emotional attachment and usually sexual attraction

make love

to have sexual intercourse (with)
archaic to engage in courtship (with)

Other words from love

Related adjective: amatory

Word Origin for love

Old English lufu; related to Old High German luba; compare also Latin libēre (originally lubēre) to please

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

Idioms and Phrases with outlove

love

In addition to the idioms beginning with love

love affair
love at first sight

also see:

all's fair in love and war
course of true love
fall in love
for the love of
labor of love
make love
misery loves company
no love lost
not for love or money
puppy love
somebody up there loves me