live intransitive verb [imperfect or past participle Lived (lĭvd); present participle or verbal noun Living.] [OE. liven, livien, AS. libban, lifian; akin to OS. libbian, D. leven, G. leben, OHG. lebēn, Dan. leve, Sw. lefva, Icel. lifa to live, to be left, to remain, Goth. liban to live; akin to E. leave to forsake, and life, Gr. λιπαρεῖν to persist, λιπαρόσ oily, shining, sleek, λίποσ fat, lard, Skr. lip to anoint, smear; – the first sense prob. was, to cleave to, stick to; hence, to remain, stay; and hence, to live.]

1. To be alive; to have life; to have, as an animal or a plant, the capacity of assimilating matter as food, and to be dependent on such assimilation for a continuance of existence; as, animals and plants that live to a great age are long in reaching maturity.

Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will . . . lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live. Ezek. xxxvii. 5, 6.

2. To pass one’s time; to pass life or time in a certain manner, as to habits, conduct, or circumstances; as, to live in ease or affluence; to live happily or usefully.

O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions! Ecclus. xli. 1.

3. To make one's abiding place or home; to abide; to dwell; to reside; as, to live in a cottage by the sea.

Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. Gen. xlvii. 28.

4. To be or continue in existence; to exist; to remain; to be permanent; to last; – said of inanimate objects, ideas, etc.

Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues
We write in water. Shak.

5. To enjoy or make the most of life; to be in a state of happiness; as, people want not just to exist, but to live.

What greater curse could envious fortune give
Than just to die when I began to live? Dryden.

6. To feed; to subsist; to be nourished or supported; – with on; as, horses live on grass and grain.

7. To have a spiritual existence; to be quickened, nourished, and actuated by divine influence or faith.

The just shall live by faith. Gal. iii. ll.

8. To be maintained in life; to acquire a livelihood; to subsist; – with on or by; as, to live on spoils.

Those who live by labor. Sir W. Temple.

9. To outlast danger; to float; – said of a ship, boat, etc.; as, no ship could live in such a storm.

A strong mast that lived upon the sea. Shak.

To live out

to be at service; to live away from home as a servant. [U. S.]

To live with

(a) To dwell or to be a lodger with.

(b) To cohabit with; to have intercourse with, as male with female.

Live (lĭv) transitive verb

1. To spend, as one's life; to pass; to maintain; to continue in, constantly or habitually; as, to live an idle or a useful life.

2. To act habitually in conformity with; to practice.

To live the Gospel. Foxe.

To live down

to live so as to subdue or refute; as, to live down slander.

Live (līv) adjective [Abbreviated from alive. See Alive, Life.] 1. Having life; alive; living; not dead.

If one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it. Ex. xxi. 35.

2. Being in a state of ignition; burning; having active properties; as, a live coal; live embers.

“The live ether.” Thomson.

3. Full of earnestness; active; wide awake; glowing; as, a live man, or orator.

4. Vivid; bright.

“The live carnation.” Thomson.

5. (Engin.) Imparting power; having motion; as, the live spindle of a lathe; live steam.

Live (līv) noun Life. [Obs.] Chaucer.

On live

in life; alive. [Obs.] See Alive. Chaucer.