live 1
/liv/ , v. , lived /livd/ , living .
v.i.
1. to have life, as an organism; be alive; be capable of vital functions: all things that live.
2. to continue to have life; remain alive: to live to a ripe old age.
3. to continue in existence, operation, memory, etc.; last: a book that lives in my memory.
4. to maintain or support one's existence; provide for oneself: to live on one's income.
5. to feed or subsist (usually fol. by on or upon ): to live on rice and bananas.
6. to dwell or reside (usually fol. by in, at, etc.): to live in a cottage.
7. to pass life in a specified manner: They lived happily ever after.
8. to direct or regulate one's life: to live by the golden rule.
9. to experience or enjoy life to the full: At 40 she was just beginning to live.
10. to cohabit (usually fol. by with ).
11. to escape destruction or remain afloat, as a ship or aircraft.
v.t.
12. to pass (life): to live a life of ease.
13. to practice, represent, or exhibit in one's life: to live one's philosophy.
14. live down , to live so as to allow (a mistake, disgrace, etc.) to be forgotten or forgiven: She'll never live that crucial moment of failure down.
15. live high off or on the hog . See hog (def. 10).
16. live in or out , to reside at or away from the place of one's employment, esp. as a domestic servant: Their butler lives in, but the maids live out.
17. live it up , Informal. to live in an extravagant or wild manner; pursue pleasure: He started living it up after he got out of the army.
18. live up to , to live in accordance with (expectations or an ideal or standard); measure up to: He never lived up to his father's vision of him.
19. live well , to live comfortably: They're not wealthy but they live well.
[ bef. 900; ME liven, OE lifian, libban; c. D leven, G leben, ON lifa, Goth liban ]
live 2
— liveness , n.
/luyv/ , adj., liver, livest for 4-7, 13-15, adv.
adj.
1. being alive; living; alive: live animals.
2. of, pertaining to, or during the life of a living being: the animal's live weight.
3. characterized by or indicating the presence of living creatures: the live sounds of the forest.
4. Informal. (of a person) energetic; alert; lively: The club members are a really live bunch.
5. full of life, energy or activity: His approach in any business dealing is live and fresh.
6. burning or glowing: live coals in the fireplace.
7. having resilience or bounce: a live tennis ball.
8. being in play, as a baseball or football.
9. loaded or unexploded, as a cartridge or shell: live ammunition.
10. made up of actual persons: to perform before a live audience.
11. (of a radio or television program) broadcast while happening or being performed; not prerecorded or taped: a live telecast.
12. being highly resonant or reverberant, as an auditorium or concert hall.
13. vivid or bright, as color.
14. of current interest or importance, as a question or issue; controversial; unsettled.
15. moving or imparting motion; powered: the live head on a lathe.
16. still in use, or to be used, as type set up or copy for printing.
17. Also, alive . Elect. electrically connected to a source of potential difference, or electrically charged so as to have a potential different from that of earth: a live wire.
18. live one , Slang.
a. a person who spends money readily.
b. a person easily imposed upon or made the dupe of others.
adv.
19. (of a radio or television program) at the moment of its happening or being performed; not on tape or by prerecording: a program broadcast live.
[ 1535-45; 1930-35 for def. 11; aph. var. of ALIVE, used attributively ]