Live | Mean of live in English Dictionary

/ˈlɪv/

• Verb
• to be alive
1. We learned about the people who lived during colonial times.
2. I wonder what it was like to live then.
3. She's one of the greatest writers who ever lived.
4. It was one of the largest animals that has ever lived.
• to continue to be alive
1. He lived to the age of 92.
2. He's very sick and he may not live much longer.
3. I hope to live (long enough) to see my grandchildren grow up.
4. I hope I live to see the day when you admit you've been wrong about me!
5. I'll remember that day for as long as I live.
6. She's living on borrowed time. [=she is continuing to live after she was expected to die, but she will probably die soon]
7. Long live the Queen/King! [=may the Queen/King live for many years]
• to have a home in a specified place
1. He lives next door to his parents.
2. We lived in the city/suburbs/country.
3. I live on Main St. [=my house is on Main St.]
4. It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
5. He's still living at home (with his parents).
6. animals living in zoos

• to grow naturally in a specified place or area
1. Tigers don't live in Africa. [=there are no tigers in the wild in Africa]
2. We've been studying the plants and animals that live in this area.
• to spend your life in a certain way or condition
1. They live well/simply.
2. He likes to live dangerously.
3. They lived peacefully for many years.
4. animals living in captivity
5. We know very little about how people in these ancient cultures lived.
6. They all lived happily ever after. [=they all lived happily for the rest of their lives]
7. He is living within/beyond his means. [=he can/cannot afford the things that he buys or the way he lives]
8. If she believes that, she's living a fantasy. [=she is not seeing or accepting reality]
9. They are living the American Dream. [=they are experiencing success in America]
• to have an enjoyable and exciting life
1. Now that he's retired he just wants to live a little. [=to spend time doing enjoyable things]
2. You haven't lived until you've had a piece of my mom's apple pie! [=you would greatly enjoy my mom's apple pie]
• to spend (your life or part of your life) in a specified way
1. They lived (the rest of) their lives in quiet retirement.
2. He had lived a childhood free from worry.
3. She lived her final years in seclusion.
4. He lived life to the full/fullest. [=he fully enjoyed his life]
• to have (a particular kind of life)
1. She wants to live [=lead] a more productive life.
2. They live a normal life.
3. They are living a life of luxury.
4. He made a lot of money in the stock market and he's been living the good life [=living the life of a wealthy person] ever since.
• to continue to exist
1. The good that people do lives long after they are gone.
2. That day will always live in my memory. [=I will always remember that day]
• to belong in a specified place
1. “Where does this book live?” “It goes/belongs on the top shelf.”
• to let others live the way they want to
1. His philosophy was to live and let live.
• to agree with and follow (something, such as a set of beliefs)
1. He tried to live by his faith.
2. a principle I try to live by
• to survive by (doing something)
1. They were an ancient people who lived by hunting and gathering.
• to survive by doing clever and sometimes dishonest things
1. Out in the jungle, with no food or shelter, he had to live by his wits.
2. a young thief who lives by her wits
• to stop being blamed or laughed at for (something, such as a foolish or embarrassing error)
1. He has a very bad reputation to live down.
2. I can't believe I forgot my wife's birthday! I'll never live this down.
• to wait or hope for (something) very eagerly
1. I live for the day when we'll be together!
• to think of (something) as the most important or enjoyable part of your life
1. She lives for her work.
2. He's depressed and feels as if he has nothing left to live for.
• to live in the place where you work
1. a maid who lives in
• to live together and have sex without being married
1. His mother did not want him living in sin with his girlfriend.
• to think too much about something that happened in the past
1. You have to accept that he's gone and stop living in the past.
• to do exciting and enjoyable things
1. He's been living it up out in California with his friends.
• to live like a very wealthy and successful person
1. a star who is living large
• to use (someone or something) as a source of the money or other things you need to live
1. He has been living off his inheritance.
2. He has been living off his girlfriend. [=his girlfriend has been supporting him financially]
3. farmers who live off the land
• to have or use (an amount of money) to pay for the things that you need to live
1. You can't live on this salary. [=this salary does not provide enough money for food, shelter, etc.]
• to have (a particular food) as the only or main food that you eat
1. They lived mainly/mostly on fruits and berries.
• to live away from the place where you work
1. a servant who lives out
• to spend the rest of (your life) in a specified way
1. He lived out (the final years of) his life in quiet retirement.
• to do (the things you have dreamed of doing)
1. He has finally had the chance to live out his dreams/fantasies.
• to survive (an experience, a troubling time, etc.)
1. If I can live through this, I can live through anything.
• to enjoy the experiences and achievements of (another person) instead of your own experiences and achievements
1. She can't live through her daughter.
• to live with another person and have sex without being married
1. They lived together for several months before getting married.
• to do what is required by (something)
1. She lived up to her promises. [=she kept her promises]
• to be good enough for (something)
1. He has found it difficult to live up to his name/reputation. [=to be as good/successful as people think he is or should be]
2. Their vacation didn't live up to their expectations. [=their vacation wasn't as good as they expected it to be]
• to accept and deal with (something unpleasant)
1. You have to learn to live with [=put up with] other people's mistakes.
2. I don't agree with his decision, but I'll have to live with it.
3. Until we get a better answer, we will have to live with not knowing for sure.
4. Because there was no cure, he had to learn to live with the disease.
• to live together and usually have sex with (someone)
1. She's been living with him since college.
• having life
1. They object to the use of live animals in scientific experiments.
2. a live birth [=a birth of a living child or animal]
• not imaginary
1. Everyone was excited about seeing a real live celebrity. [=an actual celebrity]
• done in front of an audience
1. a nightclub with live music/entertainment
2. The group has just released a live album. [=an album made by recording a performance before an audience]
• watching a performance as it happens
1. a television program filmed before a live (studio) audience
• broadcast while a performance, event, etc., is happening
1. a live television/radio program
2. She was nervous about being interviewed on live radio.
3. The network is providing live coverage of the debate.
• carrying an electric current
1. Use caution when you are working near live electrical wires.
2. a live microphone
• carrying a charge and capable of exploding or being shot
1. a live bomb
2. live ammunition
3. We had thought the guns were loaded with blanks, but the soldiers were actually shooting live bullets.
• burning without a flame
1. live coals
• not yet decided or settled
1. a live issue
2. a live controversy
• still in play
1. The ball is live until it goes out of bounds.
• containing living bacteria
1. We sell live yogurt.
• during, from, or at the actual time that something (such as a performance or event) happens
1. The program was shown live.
2. We are broadcasting live from downtown.
3. Here he is—live in concert!
4. The album was recorded live.
• to begin operating or to become available for use
1. Our new Web site will be going live next month.