1. To be alive; to have life; to have, as an animal or a plant, the capacity of assimilating matter as food, and to be dependent on such assimilation for a continuance of existence; as, animals and plants that live to a great age are long in reaching maturity. "Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will . . . Lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live." (Ezek. Xxxvii. 5, 6)

2. To pass one's time; to pass life or time in a certain manner, as to habits, conduct, or circumstances; as, to live in ease or affluence; to live happily or usefully. "O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions!" (Ecclus. Xli. 1)

3. To make one's abiding place or home; to abide; to dwell; to reside. "Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years." (Gen. Xlvii. 28)

4. To be or continue in existence; to exist; to remain; to be permanent; to last; said of inanimate objects, ideas, etc. "Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues We write in water." (Shak)

5. To enjoy or make the most of life; to be in a state of happiness. "What greater curse could envious fortune give Than just to die when I began to live?" (Dryden)

6. To feed; to subsist; to be nourished or supported; with on; as, horses live on grass and grain.

7. To have a spiritual existence; to be quickened, nourished, and actuated by divine influence or faith. "The just shall live by faith." (Gal. Iii. Ll)

8. To be maintained in life; to acquire a livelihood; to subsist; with on or by; as, to live on spoils. "Those who live by labour." (Sir W. Temple)

9. To outlast danger; to float; said of a ship, boat, etc.; as, no ship could live in such a storm. "A strong mast that lived upon the sea." (Shak) To live out, to be at service; to live away from home as a servant. To live with. To dwell or to be a lodger with. To cohabit with; to have intercourse with, as male with female.

Origin: OE. Liven, livien, AS. Libban, lifian; akin to OS. Libbian, D. Leven, G. Leben, OHG. Lebn, Dan. Leve, Sw. Lefva, Icel. Lifa to live, to be left, to remain, Goth. Liban to live; akin to E. Leave to forsake, and life, Gr. To persist, oily, shining, sleek, fat, lard, Skr. Lip to anoint, smear; the first sense prob. Was, to cleave to, stick to; hence, to remain, stay; and hence, to live.

1. Having life; alive; living; not dead. "If one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it." (Ex. Xxi. 35)



4. Vivid; bright. " The live carnation."

5. <engineering> Imparting power; having motion; as, the live spindle of a lathe. 6. (Elec) connected to a voltage source, as a live wire. 7. (Broadcasting) being transmitted instantaneously, as events occur, in contrast to recorded. 8. (Sport) still in active play as a live ball. 9. Pertaingin to an entertainment event which was performed (and possibly recorded) in front of an audience; contrasted to performances recorded in a studio without an audience Live birth, the condition of being born in such a state that acts of life are manifested after the extrusion of the whole body. Live box, a cell for holding living objects under microscopical examination. Live feathers, feathers which have been plucked from the living bird, and are therefore stronger and more elastic. Live gang. See Gang.


Origin: Abbreviated from alive. See Alive, Life.

(01 Mar 1998)

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