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liveliness - 3 dictionary results

live⋅ly

  [lahyv-lee] adjective, -li⋅er, -li⋅est, adverb
Use liveliness in a Sentence
–adjective
1. full or suggestive of life or vital energy; active, vigorous, or brisk: a lively discussion.
2. animated, spirited, vivacious, or sprightly: a lively tune; a lively wit.
3. eventful, stirring, or exciting: The opposition gave us a lively time.
4. bustling with activity; astir: The marketplace was lively with vendors.
5. strong, keen, or distinct; vivid: a lively recollection.
6. striking, telling, or effective, as an expression or instance.
7. vivid or bright, as color or light: a lively pink.
8. sparkling, as wines.
9. fresh or invigorating, as air: a lively breeze.
10. rebounding quickly; springing back; resilient: a lively tennis ball.
11. riding the sea buoyantly, as a ship.
–adverb
12. with briskness, vigor, or animation; briskly: to step lively.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE līflīc vital. See life, -ly

Related forms:
live⋅li⋅ly, adverb
live⋅li⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. alert, spry, nimble, agile, quick, pert. 2. gay, buoyant. 5. forceful, clear. 7. brilliant, clear, glowing.

Antonyms:
1. inactive, torpid. 2. dull. 5. weak. 7. dim.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To liveliness
live·ly   (līv'lē)   
adj.   live·li·er, live·li·est
  1. Full of life and energy; vigorous: a lively baby.
  2. Full of spirit; gay and animated: a lively tune.
  3. Marked by animated intelligence: a lively discussion.
  4. Invigorating; refreshing.
  5. Effervescent; sparkling.
  6. Keen; brisk: gave the kitchen floor a lively sweeping.
  7. Rebounding readily upon impact; resilient: a lively tennis ball. See Synonyms at active.
adv.  With energy or vigor; briskly: Step lively!

[Middle English lifli, from Old English līflīc, from līf, life; see leip- in Indo-European roots.]
live'li·ly adv., live'li·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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Liveliness

Live"li*ness\, n. [From Lively.]

1. The quality or state of being lively or animated; sprightliness; vivacity; animation; spirit; as, the liveliness of youth, contrasted with the gravity of age. --B. Jonson.

2. An appearance of life, animation, or spirit; as, the liveliness of the eye or the countenance in a portrait.

3. Briskness; activity; effervescence, as of liquors.

Syn: Sprightliness; gayety; animation; vivacity; smartness; briskness; activity. -- Liveliness, Gayety, Animation, Vivacity. Liveliness is an habitual feeling of life and interest; gayety refers more to a temporary excitement of the animal spirits; animation implies a warmth of emotion and a corresponding vividness of expressing it, awakened by the presence of something which strongly affects the mind; vivacity is a feeling between liveliness and animation, having the permanency of the one, and, to some extent, the warmth of the other. Liveliness of imagination; gayety of heart; animation of countenance; vivacity of gesture or conversation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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