live

[ liv ]

/ lɪv /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR live ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

to have life, as an organism; be alive; be capable of vital functions: all things that live.

to continue to have life; remain alive: to live to a ripe old age.

to continue in existence, operation, memory, etc.; last: a book that lives in my memory.

to maintain or support one's existence; provide for oneself: to live on one's income.

to feed or subsist (usually followed by on or upon): to live on rice and bananas.

to dwell or reside (usually followed by in, at, etc.): to live in a cottage.

to pass life in a specified manner: They lived happily ever after.

to direct or regulate one's life: to live by the golden rule.

to experience or enjoy to the full: At 40 she was just beginning to live.

to cohabit (usually followed by with).

to escape destruction or remain afloat, as a ship or aircraft.

verb (used with object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

to pass (life): to live a life of ease.

to practice, represent, or exhibit in one's life: to live one's philosophy.

Verb Phrases

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.

live in/out, to reside at or away from the place of one's employment, especially as a domestic servant: Their butler lives in, but the maids live out.

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.

Idioms for live

live high off/on the hog. hog(def 16).

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.

live well, to live comfortably: They're not wealthy but they live well.

Origin of live

before 900; Middle English liven, Old English lifian, libban; cognate with Dutch leven, German leben, Old Norse lifa, Gothic liban

Words nearby live

liu pang, liu shao qi, liu shaoqi, liuzhou, livable, live, live and learn, live and let live, live axle, live birth, live by one's wits

British Dictionary definitions for live on (1 of 2)

live ¹

/ (lɪv) /

verb (mainly intr)

to show the characteristics of life; be alive

to remain alive or in existence

to exist in a specified way to live poorly

(usually foll by in or at) to reside or dwell to live in London

(often foll by on) to continue or last the pain still lives in her memory

(usually foll by by) to order one's life (according to a certain philosophy, religion, etc)

(foll by on, upon, or by) to support one's style of life; subsist to live by writing

(foll by with) to endure the effects (of a crime, mistake, etc)

(foll by through) to experience and survive he lived through the war

(tr) to pass or spend (one's life, etc)

to enjoy life to the full he knows how to live

(tr) to put into practice in one's daily life; express he lives religion every day

live and let live to refrain from interfering in others' lives; to be tolerant

where one lives US informal in one's sensitive or defenceless position

See also live down, live in, live out, live together, live up, live with

Word Origin for live

Old English libban, lifian; related to Old High German libēn, Old Norse lifa

British Dictionary definitions for live on (2 of 2)

live ²

/ (laɪv) /

adjective

(prenominal) showing the characteristics of life

(usually prenominal) of, relating to, or abounding in life the live weight of an animal

(usually prenominal) of current interest; controversial a live issue

actual a real live cowboy

informal full of life and energy

(of a coal, ember, etc) glowing or burning

(esp of a volcano) not extinct

loaded or capable of exploding a live bomb

radio television transmitted or present at the time of performance, rather than being a recording a live show

(of a record)

recorded in concert
recorded in one studio take, without overdubs or splicing

connected to a source of electric power a live circuit

(esp of a colour or tone) brilliant or splendid

acoustically reverberant a live studio

sport (of a ball) in play

(of rocks, ores, etc) not quarried or mined; native

being in a state of motion or transmitting power; positively connected to a driving member

printing

(of copy) not yet having been set into type
(of type that has been set) still in use

adverb

during, at, or in the form of a live performance the show went out live

Word Origin for live

C16: from on live alive

Medical definitions for live on

live

[ līv ]

adj.

Having life; alive.

Capable of replicating in a host's cells.

Containing living microorganisms or viruses capable of replicating in a host's cells.

Idioms and Phrases with live on (1 of 2)

live on

Be financially supported by, subsist on, as in His pension is too small to live on. [Mid-1600s]

Continue to survive, especially unexpectedly, as in They thought the cancer would kill her, but Lucy lived on for another twenty years.

Remain in human memory, as in This book will live on long after the author's death.

Idioms and Phrases with live on (2 of 2)

live

In addition to the idioms beginning with live

live and learn
live and let live
live by one's wits
live dangerously
live down
live for the moment
live from day to day
live from hand to mouth
live happily ever after
live high off the hog
live in
live in each other's pockets
live in sin
live it up
live like a king
live on
live on borrowed time
live on the edge
live out
live through
live together
live up to
live wire
live with

also see:

alive (live) and kicking
as I live and breathe
close to home (where one lives)
(live from) day to day
fat of the land, live off the
high off the hog, live
in one's pocket (live in each other's pockets)
learn to live with
people who live in glass houses

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

live

verb (used without object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

verb (used with object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for live

Origin of live

Words nearby live

British Dictionary definitions for live on (1 of 2)

verb (mainly intr)

Word Origin for live

British Dictionary definitions for live on (2 of 2)

adjective

adverb

Word Origin for live

Medical definitions for live on

adj.

Idioms and Phrases with live on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with live on (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

live

verb (used without object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

verb (used with object), lived [livd] /lɪvd/, liv·ing.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for live

Origin of live

Words nearby live

Words related to live on

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for live on (1 of 2)

verb (mainly intr)

Word Origin for live

British Dictionary definitions for live on (2 of 2)

adjective

adverb

Word Origin for live

Medical definitions for live on

adj.

Idioms and Phrases with live on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with live on (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for live on (1 of 2)