Pronunciations (9)
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/ˈlɪv/
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[ˈlɪv]
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/ˈlaɪ̯v/
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[ˈlaɪ̯v]
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/ˈlaːv/
Pronunciation notes
- General-South-African
- Southern-US
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[ˈlaːv]
Pronunciation notes
- General-South-African
- Southern-US
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laɪv
Pronunciation notes
- GB
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laɪv
Pronunciation notes
- US
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lɪv
Verb
To be alive; to have life.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Many animals live in this forest.
He's not expected to live for more than a few months.
To have permanent residence somewhere, to inhabit, to reside.
Usage- Intransitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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I live near the station.
I live at 2a Acacia Avenue. At that time I'd been living in a camper for about six months.
More examples (2)
Athelstan Arundel walked home all the way, foaming and raging. No omnibus, cab, or conveyance ever built could contain a young man in such a rage. His mother lived at Pembridge Square, which is four good measured miles from Lincoln's Inn.
It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
To have permanent residence somewhere, to inhabit, to reside. (of an object) to have its proper place; to normally be stored.
Usage- Informal
- Intransitive
- Examples
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I washed your gravy boat. Where does it live?
To survive; to persevere; to continue.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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The plant can live without much water.
More examples (1)
When Lazarus left his charnel-cave, And home to Mary’s house return’d, […] ‘Where wert thou, brother, those four days?’ There lives no record of reply, Which telling what it is to die Had surely added praise to praise.
To endure in memory; to escape oblivion.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Her memory lives in that song.
More examples (1)
He has now overseen three straight victories since taking over from Claudio Ranieri and this latest win, against one of the best teams in Europe, will live long in the memory for every Leicester supporter.
To cope.
Usage- excessive
- Intransitive
- Examples
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You'll just have to live with it! I can't live in a world without you.
To pass life in a specified manner.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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It is difficult to live in poverty. And they lived happily ever after.
To spend, as one's life; to pass; to maintain; to continue in, constantly or habitually.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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To live an idle or a useful life.
Many people write their romances, others live them; Honore de Balzac did both.
More examples (2)
By 1980, South Korea had overtaken its northern neighbour, and was well on its way to being one of the Asian tigers – high-performing economies, with democratic movements ultimately winning power in the 1990s. The withdrawal of most Soviet aid in 1991, with the fall of the Soviet empire, pushed North Korea further down. Kim Il-sung had held a genuine place on North Korean people's affections. His son was regarded as a shadowy playboy, with rumours circulating over the years that he imported Russian and Chinese prostitutes, and lived a life of profligacy and excess.
But poverty’s scourge is fiercest below $1.25 (the average of the 15 poorest countries’ own poverty lines, measured in 2005 dollars and adjusted for differences in purchasing power): people below that level live lives that are poor, nasty, brutish and short.
To act habitually in conformity with; to practice; to exemplify in one's way of life.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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to live the Gospel
The key to our freedom then, isn't begging for tolerance, but living our full rights.
More examples (2)
Change happens from the inside out and this great resource can show you how to live the habits that build personal and professional effectiveness.
In short, he argues, in the modern era, “The only way to build a brand is to live that brand. You have to live the values and the mission, then let the customer decide.”
To live as; to live being.
Usage- Obsolete
- Transitive
- Examples
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at leaſt admit vs libertie, Euen as thou hopſt to be eternized, By liuing Aſias mightie Emperour.
To outlast danger; (of a ship or boat) to float.
Usage- Transitive or intransitive
- Examples
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That rockslide trapped me in a cave, and I was trapped for three days, but I lived.
No ship could live in such a storm.
More examples (2)
(in a video game) I don't know how I lived that, I should've died like 8 times.
a strong mast that lived upon the sea
To maintain or support one's existence; to provide for oneself; to feed; to subsist.
Usage- Intransitive
- followed by on
- Examples
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It is hard to live on the minimum wage. They lived on stale bread. Man shall not live by bread alone.
To make the most of life; to experience a full, rich life.
Usage- Informal
- Intransitive
- Examples
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I'm sick of spending every day studying at home: I want to go out there and live!
To spend a great deal of time in a particular place.
Usage- Figurative
- Intransitive
- Examples
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She lives on the Internet.
Adjective
Having life; that is alive.
Usage- attributive
- Examples
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The post office will not ship live animals.
Being in existence; actual.
- Examples
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He is a live example of the consequences of excessive drinking.
Having active properties; being energized.
- Examples
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Because the vaccinia virus is live, it is important to follow care instructions for the vaccination site.
Operational; in actual use rather than in testing etc.
Operational; in actual use rather than in testing etc. Of an object or value: that may potentially be used in the future execution of a program.
- Antonyms
- Examples
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An object in the heap is live if its address is held in a root, or there is a pointer to it held in another live heap node.
Taken from a living animal.
- Examples
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live feathers
Imparting power; having motion.
- Examples
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the live spindle of a lathe
a live, or driving, axle
Still in active play.
- Examples
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a live ball
Of a card: not yet dealt or played.
- Examples
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As a beginner, when you are in a hand, you should practice counting your outs, or those live cards left in the deck that can improve your hand.
Being broadcast (“on the air”), as it happens.
- Examples
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The concert is live on television.
The station presented a live news program every evening.
Are we live?
In person.
Usage- of a performance or speech
- Examples
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This nightclub has a live band on weekends.
Recorded from a performance in front of an audience.
- Examples
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a live album
Able to fire or explode (of firearms or explosives).
- Examples
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The air force practices dropping live bombs on the uninhabited island.
Of an environment where sound is recorded: having noticeable reverberation.
- Examples
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A good experiment is to have a friend stand in a fixed position in a moderately live room and talk in a clear voice.
It sounds like the instruments were recorded in a fairly live room with reverb added.
Electrically charged or energized, usually with a risk of causing electrocution if touched.
- Examples
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Do not touch the live wire.
Use caution when working near live wires.
Being a bet which can be raised by the bettor, usually in reference to a blind or straddle.
- Examples
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Tommy's blind was live, so he was given the option to raise.
Featuring humans; not animated, in the phrases “live actors” or “live action”.
Being in a state of ignition; burning.
- Examples
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a live coal; live embers
More examples (1)
Call it a dead language if you want to—it looks to me like those Latinites were the live boys when it came to putting a whole lot of meaning into just two or three words.
Vivid; bright.
Usage- Obsolete
- Examples
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the live carnation
Energetic, attentive, active.
Usage- Dated
- Slang
- Examples
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a live man, or orator
More examples (1)
Now then, Bill, I've recommended to the troop that they take you in, and the fellows have all voted in favor of you. These scouts are a live bunch and they all expect you to make good.
Outstanding, top-notch, exhilarating.
Usage- Slang
- Examples
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The party was live, and the music was jammin. All over the beach people in colorful swimsuits were moving to the beat.
Of a syllable in languages such as Thai and Burmese: resonating, not ending abruptly.
- Antonyms
Adverb
Of an event, as it happens; in real time; direct.
- Examples
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The concert was broadcast live by radio.
Of making a performance or speech, in person.
- Examples
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He'll be appearing live at the auditorium.
Adjective
actually being performed at the time of hearing or viewing
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Examples
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a live television program
brought to you live from Lincoln Center
More examples (1)
live entertainment involves performers actually in the physical presence of a live audience
exerting force or containing energy
- Antonyms
- Examples
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live coals
tossed a live cigarette out the window
More examples (4)
got a shock from a live wire
live ore is unmined ore
a live bomb
a live ball is one in play
possessing life
- Synonyms
- Examples
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the happiest person alive
the nerve is alive
More examples (3)
doctors are working hard to keep him alive
burned alive
a live canary
highly reverberant
- Examples
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a live concert hall
charged with an explosive
- Examples
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live ammunition
a live bomb
elastic; rebounds readily
- Examples
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clean bouncy hair
a lively tennis ball
More examples (2)
as resilient as seasoned hickory
springy turf
abounding with life and energy
- Examples
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the club members are a really live bunch
in current use or ready for use
- Examples
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live copy is ready to be set in type or already set but not yet proofread
of current relevance
- Examples
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a live issue
still a live option
charged or energized with electricity
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a hot wire
a live wire
capable of erupting
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a live volcano
the volcano is very much alive
Adverb
not recorded
- Examples
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the opera was broadcast live
Verb
be an inhabitant of or reside in
- Broader terms
- Examples
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People lived in Africa millions of years ago
The people inhabited the islands that are now deserted
More examples (2)
this kind of fish dwells near the bottom of the ocean
deer are populating the woods
lead a certain kind of life; live in a certain style
- Examples
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we had to live frugally after the war
continue to live and avoid dying
- Examples
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We went without water and food for 3 days
These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America
More examples (3)
The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents
how long can a person last without food and water?
one crash victim died, the other lived
support oneself
- Examples
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he could barely exist on such a low wage
Can you live on $2000 a month in New York City?
More examples (1)
Many people in the world have to subsist on $1 a day
have life, be alive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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Our great leader is no more
My grandfather lived until the end of war
have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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I know the feeling!
have you ever known hunger?
More examples (3)
I have lived a kind of hell when I was a drug addict
The holocaust survivors have lived a nightmare
I lived through two divorces
pursue a positive and satisfying existence
- Examples
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You must accept yourself and others if you really want to live