adj. 1 living, breathing, animate, viable, existent; material, physical, tangible, real, actual, palpable She said she'd rather be a live beggar than a dead countess My cat brought me a live mouse into the house the other day. 2 energetic, lively, spirited, vigorous, active, dynamic, busy; current, contemporary Our new advertising agency seems to have some live ideas The other party made nuclear disarmament a live issue in the election. 3 burning, glowing, flaming, alight, red-hot, white-hot A live coal popped out of the grate onto the carpet 4 loaded, explosive, unexploded, combustible Builders have dug up a live bomb in London 5 charged, electrified Don't touch a live wire or you'll get a shock
v. 6 breathe, exist; function There has never lived a more gifted scholar She lives as a recluse. 7 survive, persist, last, persevere, endure; spend, continue, live out, complete, end, conclude, finish He lived out his days happily in Torquay 8 reside, dwell, be; abide, stay, remain, lodge, room He normally lives in Acton, but at the moment he's living with his mother in Kent 9 subsist, get along, survive, fare Many old-age pensioners complain that they have barely enough to live on