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live

1 live /ˈlɪv/ verb
lives; lived; living
1 live
/ˈlɪv/
verb
lives; lived; living
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIVE
[no object]
: to be alive
: to continue to be alive
[no object]
: to have a home in a specified place
of a plant or animal : to grow naturally in a specified place or area
: to spend your life in a certain way or condition
[no object]
[+ object]
[no object] : to have an enjoyable and exciting life
[+ object]
: to spend (your life or part of your life) in a specified way
: to have (a particular kind of life)
[no object] : to continue to exist
[no object] chiefly British, informal : to belong in a specified place : to be located or stored

live a lie

see 4lie

live and breathe

see breathe

live and learn

informal or you live and (you) learn
used to say that you have learned something from an experience that is surprising and usually unpleasant

live and let live

: to let others live the way they want to

live by

[phrasal verb]
live by (something) : to agree with and follow (something, such as a set of beliefs)
live by (doing something) : to survive by (doing something)
live by your wits : to survive by doing clever and sometimes dishonest things

live down

[phrasal verb]
live down (something) or live (something) down
: to stop being blamed or laughed at for (something, such as a foolish or embarrassing error) often used in negative statements

live for

[phrasal verb]
live for (something)
: to wait or hope for (something) very eagerly
: to think of (something) as the most important or enjoyable part of your life : to think of (something) as a reason for being alive

live in

[phrasal verb] chiefly British
: to live in the place where you work : to live in another person's home

live in hope

see 2hope

live in sin

old-fashioned
: to live together and have sex without being married

live in the past

: to think too much about something that happened in the past

live it up

informal
: to do exciting and enjoyable things

live large

US slang
: to live like a very wealthy and successful person

live off

[phrasal verb]
live off (something or someone)
: to use (someone or something) as a source of the money or other things you need to live

live on

[phrasal verb]
live on (something)
: to have or use (an amount of money) to pay for the things that you need to live
: to have (a particular food) as the only or main food that you eat

live out

[phrasal verb]
British : to live away from the place where you work
live out (something) or live (something) out
: to spend the rest of (your life) in a specified way
: to do (the things you have dreamed of doing)

live through

[phrasal verb]
live through (something) : to survive (an experience, a troubling time, etc.) : endure
live through (someone) US, sometimes disapproving : to enjoy the experiences and achievements of (another person) instead of your own experiences and achievements

live together

[phrasal verb]
: to live with another person and have sex without being married

live up to

[phrasal verb]
live up to (something)
: to do what is required by (something)
: to be good enough for (something)

live with

[phrasal verb]
live with (something) : to accept and deal with (something unpleasant)
live with (someone) : to live together and usually have sex with (someone)
2 live /ˈlaɪv/ adjective
2 live
/ˈlaɪv/
adjective
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIVE
always used before a noun : having life : living or alive
informal : not imaginary : actually existing used in the phrase real live
: done in front of an audience : of or involving a play, concert, etc., that is performed in front of people
: watching a performance as it happens
: broadcast while a performance, event, etc., is happening : not recorded earlier
: carrying an electric current : connected to electric power
see also live wire
always used before a noun
: carrying a charge and capable of exploding or being shot
: not yet decided or settled : still causing discussion, disagreement, or concern
US, sports : still in play
British, of yogurt : containing living bacteria
3 live /ˈlaɪv/ adverb
3 live
/ˈlaɪv/
adverb
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIVE
: during, from, or at the actual time that something (such as a performance or event) happens

go live

: to begin operating or to become available for use