[love] n [ME, fr. OE lufu; akin to OHG luba love, OE leof dear, L lubere, libere to please] (bef. 12c) 1 a (1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties "maternal ~ for a child" (2): attraction based on sexual desire: affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests "~ for his old schoolmates" b: an assurance of love "give her my ~"
2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion "~ of the sea" 3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration "baseball was his first ~" b (1): a beloved person: darling--often used as a term of endearment (2) Brit--used as an informal term of address
4. a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person's adoration of God
5: a god or personification of love
6: an amorous episode: love affair 7: the sexual embrace: copulation 8: a score of zero (as in tennis)
9. cap, Christian Science: god -- at love : holding one's opponent scoreless in tennis -- in love : inspired by affection
[2]love vb loved ; lov.ing vt (bef. 12c) 1: to hold dear: cherish
2. a: to feel a lover's passion, devotion, or tenderness for b (1): caress (2): to fondle amorously (3): to copulate with
3: to like or desire actively: take pleasure in "loved to play the violin"
4: to thrive in "the rose ~s sunlight" ~ vi: to feel affection or experience desire