Join Us On

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Dictionary

Thesaurus

Medical

Scrabble^®

Spanish Central

Browse Dictionary Browse Thesaurus

Get our free apps!iPhone•iPad•Android

Dictionary

¹live

verb \ˈliv\

: to be alive

: to continue to be alive

: to have a home in a specified place

livedliv·ing

Full Definition of LIVE

intransitive verb

: to be alive : have the life of an animal or plant

: to continue alive

: to maintain oneself : subsist <lived on rice and peas>

a : to occupy a home : dwell <living in a shabby room> <they had always lived in the country>

b : to be located or stored <the silverware lives here>

: to attain eternal life <though he die, yet shall he live — John 11:25(Revised Standard Version)>

: to conduct or pass one's life <lived only for his work>

: to remain in human memory or record <the past lives in us all — W. R. Inge>

: to have a life rich in experience

: cohabit

transitive verb

: to pass through or spend the duration of <lived their lives alone>

: act out, practice —often used with out <to live out their fantasies>

: to exhibit vigor, gusto, or enthusiasm in <lived life to the fullest>

a : to experience firsthand <living a dream>

b : to be thoroughly absorbed by or involved with <she lives her work>

— live it up

: to live with gusto and usually fast and loose <lived it up with wine and song — Newsweek>

— live up to

: to act or be in accordance with <had no intention of living up to his promise>

— live with

: to put up with : accept, tolerate <had to live with their decision>

See live defined for English-language learners

See live defined for kids

Origin of LIVE

Middle English, from Old English libban; akin to Old High German lebēn to live

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to LIVE

Synonyms: abide, dwell, reside

Antonyms: depart, die, expire, pass away, perish, succumb

²live

adjective \ˈlīv\

: having life : living or alive

: not imaginary : actually existing

: done in front of an audience : of or involving a play, concert, etc., that is performed in front of people

Full Definition of LIVE

a : having life : living <a live lobster>

b : existing in fact or reality : actual <spoke to a real live celebrity>

: exerting force or containing energy: as

a : afire, glowing <live coals>

b : connected to electric power

c : charged with explosives and containing shot or a bullet <live ammunition>; also : armed but not exploded <a live bomb>

d : imparting or driven by power <a live axle>

e : being in operation <a live microphone>

: abounding with life : vivid

: being in a pure native state

: of bright vivid color

: of continuing or current interest <live issues>

a : not yet printed from or plated <live type>

b : not yet typeset <live copy>

a : of or involving a presentation (as a play or concert) in which both the performers and an audience are physically present <a live record album> <a nightclub with live entertainment>

b : broadcast directly at the time of production <a live radio program>

: being in play <a live ball>

See live defined for English-language learners

Origin of LIVE

short for alive

First Known Use: 1542

Related to LIVE

Synonyms: alive, functional, functioning, going, active, living, on, operating, operational, operative, running, working

Antonyms: broken, dead, inactive, inoperative, kaput (also kaputt), nonactivated, nonfunctional, nonfunctioning, nonoperating, nonoperational, nonoperative

Other Broadcasting Terms

continuity, dissolve, fade, feed, remote, residual, spike, wipe

Rhymes with LIVE

chive, Clive, dive, drive, five, gyve, hive, jive, rive, shrive, skive, strive, thrive, wive

³live

adverb \ˈlīv\

: during, from, or at the actual time that something (such as a performance or event) happens

Full Definition of LIVE

: at the actual time of occurrence : during, from, or at a live production <the program was broadcast live>

See live defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of LIVE

1946

Other Broadcasting Terms

continuity, dissolve, fade, feed, remote, residual, spike, wipe

LIVE Defined for Kids

¹live

verb \ˈliv\

livedliv·ing

Definition of LIVE for Kids

: to be alive <Dinosaurs lived long ago.>

: to continue in life <My grandmother lived to the age of 98.>

: dwell 1 <They live in Indiana.>

: to spend life <Let them live in peace.>

— live it up

: to live with great enthusiasm and excitement

— live up to

: to be good enough to satisfy expectations

²live

adjective \ˈlīv\

Definition of LIVE for Kids

: having life : alive <If the public gets to know we've got a live dinosaur here, they'd be swarming all over the place … — Oliver Butterworth, The Enormous Egg>

: broadcast at the time of production <a live television program>

: charged with an electric current <a live wire>

: burning usually without flame <live coals>

: not exploded <a live bomb>