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alive

 - 10 dictionary results

a⋅live

  [uh-lahyv]
Use alive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having life; living; existing; not dead or lifeless.
2. living (used for emphasis): the proudest man alive.
3. in a state of action; in force or operation; active: to keep hope alive.
4. full of energy and spirit; lively: Grandmother's more alive than most of her contemporaries.
5. having the quality of life; vivid; vibrant: The room was alive with color.
6. Electricity. live 2 (def. 17).
—Idioms
7. alive to, alert or sensitive to; aware of: City planners are alive to the necessity of revitalizing deteriorating neighborhoods.
8. alive with, filled with living things; swarming; teeming: The room was alive with mosquitoes.
9. look alive! pay attention! move quickly!: Look alive! We haven't got all day.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE on līfe in life; see a- 1

Related forms:
a⋅live⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
4. active.

Antonyms:
1. dead. 3. defunct. 4. lifeless.

live

2  [lahyv] adjective, liv⋅er, liv⋅est for 4–7, 13–15, adverb
–adjective
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. Electricity. 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.
–adverb
18. (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.
—Idiom
19. live one, Slang.
a. a person who spends money readily.
b. a person easily imposed upon or made the dupe of others.
Origin:
1535–45; 1930–35 for def. 11; aph. var. of alive, used attributively

Related forms:
liveness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To alive
a·live   (ə-līv')   
adj.  

  1. Having life; living. See Synonyms at living.

  2. In existence or operation; active: keep your hopes alive.

  3. Full of living or moving things; abounding: a pool alive with trout.

  4. Full of activity or animation; lively: a face alive with mischief.


[Middle English : a-, in a specified state; see a-2 + live, life (from Old English līf; see life).]
a·live'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
live

  1. mod.
    cool; great. : Everything's live! No problem!
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

alive 
c.1200, from O.E. on life "in living." The fuller form on live was still current 17c. Alive and kicking "alert, vigorous," attested from 1859.

live  (v.)
O.E. lifian (Anglian), libban (W.Saxon) "to be alive," also "to supply oneself with food, to pass life (in some condition)," from P.Gmc. stem *libæ (cf. O.N. lifa, O.Fris. libba, Ger. leben, Goth. liban "to live"), from PIE base *leip- "to remain, continue" (cf. Gk. liparein "to persist, persevere;" see leave).
"According to the Dutch Prouerbe ... Leuen ende laetan leuen, To liue and to let others liue." [Malynes, 1622]
To live it up "live gaily and extravagantly" is from 1951. To live up to "act in accordance with" is from 1694. To live (something) down "outwear (some slander or embarrassment)" is from 1842. To live with "cohabit as husband and wife" is attested from 1749; sense of "to put up with" is attested from 1937. Lived-in "inhabited, occupied" is first recorded 1873. Live-in (adj.) first attested, 1955. Liveable "suitable for living in" is from 1814, first attested in "Mansfield Park." Expression live and learn is attested from c.1620.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: alive
Pronunciation: &-'lIv
Function: adjective
: having life : not dead or inanimate

Main Entry: 2live
Pronunciation: 'lIv
Function: adjective
: having life : LIVING
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

live (līv)
adj.

  1. Having life; alive.

  2. Capable of replicating in a host's cells.

  3. Containing living microorganisms or active virus, as a vaccine.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

alive

In addition to the idioms beginning with alive, also see come alive; eat someone alive; look alive; more dead than alive; skin alive.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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