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live

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verb British English pronunciation: live /lɪv/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theylive
he/she/itlives
present participleliving
past tenselived
past participlelived
 
  1. 1
    [intransitive] to have your home in a particular place

    Paris is a nice place to live.

    live in/near/on/at etc:

    They lived in a basement flat in South London.

    I think he lives somewhere near Bath.

    live at home (=in your parents’ home):

    Do you still live at home?

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live
  2. 2
    [intransitive/transitive] to have a particular kind of life

    people living in poverty

    They have lived under military rule for nineteen years.

    Food is inexpensive here, so you can live quite cheaply.

    live well/comfortably (=have a pleasant life with plenty of money):

    I had a good salary then, and we lived pretty well.

    live a full/quiet/busy life:

    Now they have retired and want to live a quiet life.

    live a life of crime/luxury/hardship:

    She was destined from birth to live a life of hardship.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live
  3. 3
    [intransitive] to keep yourself alive in a particular way
    live by doing something:

    The Aymaras live by hunting and fishing in the Desaguadero river.

    live on/off something:

    Millions of families are living on benefits.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live
  4. 4
    [intransitive] to be alive, or to stay alive

    She’s not expected to live long.

    Who wants to live forever?

    live to the age of.../live to be...:

    Despite her unhealthy lifestyle, Aunt Joan lived to be 86.

    live to do something (=live long enough to do it):

    He lived to see the first talking pictures.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live
    1. a.
      to be alive in a particular time

      He’s one of the greatest pianists who ever lived.

      live in/at/before/after:

      Hippodamus lived in the early fifth century BC.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live
  5. 5
    [intransitive] to continue to exist and have influence

    The spirit of revolution still lives.

    live in someone’s memory:

    The events of that day have always lived in my memory.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live
  6. 6
    [intransitive] to have an interesting and exciting life

    Come on, you have to live a little!

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live
  7. 7
    [intransitive] informal to be usually kept in a particular place
    live in/on/under:

    The box lives on the top shelf there.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  liveThesaurus entry for this meaning of live

phrases

See also

This is the British English definition of live. View American English definition of live.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 

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