I. liv ‧ ing 1 /ˈlɪvɪŋ/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ live , ↑ outlive , ↑ relive , ↑ liven , ↑ up ; adjective : ↑ live , ↑ lively , ↑ living , ↑ liveable ; noun : ↑ liveliness , ↑ living , ↑ livelihood ; adverb : ↑ live ]
1 . alive now OPP dead :
He’s one of the greatest living composers.
The sun affects all living things (=people, animals, and plants) .
a living language (=one that people still use)
2 . living proof if someone is living proof of a particular fact, they are a good example of how true it is
living proof (that)
I’m living proof that you don’t need a college degree to be successful.
living proof of
the living proof of government economic incompetence
3 . in/within living memory during the time that anyone can remember:
It was the worst storm in living memory.
4 . a living death a life that is so unpleasant that it seems better to be dead
5 . a living hell a very unpleasant situation that makes you suffer for a long time:
These past few days have been a living hell.
6 . living legend someone who is famous for being extremely good at something, and who still does that activity:
His music has made him a living legend.
⇨ scare/frighten the (living) daylights out of somebody at ↑ daylight (3), ⇨ beat/knock the (living) daylights out of somebody/something at ↑ daylight (4)
II. living 2 S2 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ live , ↑ outlive , ↑ relive , ↑ liven , ↑ up ; adjective : ↑ live , ↑ lively , ↑ living , ↑ liveable ; noun : ↑ liveliness , ↑ living , ↑ livelihood ; adverb : ↑ live ]
1 . [countable usually singular] the way that you earn money or the money that you earn:
It’s not a great job, but it’s a living.
What do you do for a living? (=what do you do as a job?)
earn/make a living
It’s hard to make a decent living as a musician.
scrape/scratch a living (=get just enough to eat or live)
2 . the living all the people who are alive as opposed to dead people OPP the dead
3 . [uncountable] the way in which someone lives their life:
the stresses of city living
4 . [countable] the position or income of a ↑ parish priest
⇨ ↑ cost of living , ↑ standard of living , ⇨ in the land of the living at ↑ land 1 (7)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ earn/make a living
She was able to make a living out of her talents as a cook.
▪ do something for a living (=to work at something as your job)
'What does he do for a living?' 'I think he's a taxi driver.'
▪ scrape out/scratch out/eke out a living (=to barely earn enough money to live)
The farmers in these drought-stricken areas are barely able to scratch out a living.
■ adjectives
▪ a good/decent living (=enough money)
Her husband makes a good living.
▪ a meagre living British English , a meager living American English (=not much money)
She earned a meagre living as a shop assistant.