— livingly , adv. — livingness , n.
/liv"ing/ , adj.
1. having life; being alive; not dead: living persons.
2. in actual existence or use; extant: living languages.
3. active or thriving; vigorous; strong: a living faith.
4. burning or glowing, as a coal.
5. flowing freely, as water.
6. pertaining to, suitable for, or sufficient for existence or subsistence: living conditions; a living wage.
7. of or pertaining to living persons: within living memory.
8. lifelike; true to life, as a picture or narrative.
9. in its natural state and place; not uprooted, changed, etc.: living rock.
10. very; absolute (used as an intensifier): to scare the living daylights out of someone.
n.
11. the act or condition of a person or thing that lives: Living is very expensive these days.
12. the means of maintaining life; livelihood: to earn one's living.
13. a particular manner, state, or status of life: luxurious living.
14. ( used with a pl. v.) living persons collectively (usually prec. by the ): glad to be among the living.
15. Brit. the benefice of a clergyman.
[ bef. 900; (adj.) ME lyvyng ( e ); r. earlier liviende, OE lifgende (see LIVE 1 , -ING 2 ); (n.) ME living ( e ) (see -ING 1 ) ]
Syn. 1. live, quick. 2. existing, surviving. 3. lively, flourishing. 12. sustenance, subsistence. LIVING, LIVELIHOOD, MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT refer, directly or indirectly, to what is earned or spent for subsistence. LIVING and LIVELIHOOD (a somewhat more formal word), both refer to what one earns to keep (oneself) alive, but are seldom interchangeable within the same phrase: to earn one's living; to seek one's livelihood. "To make a living" suggests making just enough to keep alive, and is particularly frequent in the negative: You cannot make a living out of that. "To make a livelihood out of something" suggests rather making a business of it: to make a livelihood out of trapping foxes.
MAINTENANCE and SUPPORT refer usually to what is spent for the living of another: to provide for the maintenance or support of someone. MAINTENANCE occasionally refers to the allowance itself provided for livelihood: They are entitled to a maintenance from this estate.
Ant. 1. dead.