live
1to 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.
to pass (life): to live a life of ease.
to practice, represent, or exhibit in one's life: to live one's philosophy.
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 about 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
1Other definitions for live (2 of 2)
of, relating to, or during the life of a living being: Water forms about 50 to 80 percent of an animal's live weight.
characterized by or indicating the presence of living creatures: I stood still and listened to the live sounds of the forest.
Informal. (of a person) energetic and quick to speak or act; animated, spirited, or vivacious: The club members are a really live bunch.
responsive to changing conditions, needs, etc., in an imaginative and proactive way: I like this company—their approach is live and fresh.
Informal. mentally, emotionally, and physically alive, often in a new way; invigorated, confident, and fully engaged: After months of quarantine, I felt live and refreshed being exposed to places outside.During pregame practice we were feeling live and ready for anything.
made up of actual persons: He has several studio albums but rarely performs before a live audience.
(of a radio or television program, podcast, etc.) broadcast or released while happening or being performed; not prerecorded or taped: I watched a live telecast of the royal wedding.
burning or glowing: We roasted our marshmallows over live coals in the firepit.
being in play, as a baseball or football.
(of ammunition)
loaded or unexploded; ready to explode: Watch out—that’s a live grenade!
consisting of real bullets or shot, as opposed to rubber bullets or some other charge; explodable: Security forces used tear gas and live ammunition to break up the riot.
of current interest or importance, as a question or issue; generating much debate or discussion: Sexual harassment in the military is still very much a live issue.
Also a·live [uh-lahyv] /əˈlaɪv/ . electrically charged; carrying an electric current, especially if exposed: Crews safely removed the live wire brought down by a falling tree. On the subway line, the third rail is live.
being highly resonant or reverberant, as an auditorium or concert hall: Plants can absorb the echoes in acoustically live spaces like galleries and gymnasiums.
having resilience or bounce: The basketball was losing air rapidly and was barely live by the end of the game.
moving or imparting motion; powered.
vivid or bright, as color.
still in use, or to be used, as type set up or copy for printing.
(of a radio or television program, podcast, etc.) at the moment of its happening or being performed; not on tape or by prerecording: The program was broadcast live from San Francisco.
Origin of live
2Other words from live
- live·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for live (1 of 2)
/ (lɪv) /
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
Origin of live
1British Dictionary definitions for live (2 of 2)
/ (laɪv) /
(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
during, at, or in the form of a live performance: the show went out live
Origin of live
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with 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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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