Meaning of live In English

• 0 (to continue) to be alive or have life:

  • He only lived a few days after the accident.

  • [ + to infinitive ] I hope I live to see my grandchildren.

  • Her granny lived to the ripe old age of 94.

  • Can the right to live ever be denied to any human?

  • She lived on well into her 90s.

• 1 to have your home somewhere:

  • Where do you live?

  • We live in Kingston.

  • Some students live on the University campus.

  • He lives with four other people in a shared house.

  • Where do the knives live in your kitchen?

  • I'm not sure where this bowl lives.

• 2 to spend your life in a particular way:

  • After a while you get used to living alone.

  • When you retire, you want to live a comfortable life.

  • So the couple got married and lived happily ever after.

  • He simply wants to live (out) (= experience) the rest of his days in peace.

  • The TV's broken - we'll just have to live without (= not have) it for a while.

  • She certainly lived her life to the full (= was always doing something interesting).

  • figurative The US is living beyond its means (= spending more than it earns).

• 3 to stay alive, especially by getting enough money to pay for food, a place to stay, clothing, etc.:

  • For several years she lived by begging.

  • She has an inheritance to live off ( US also live off of) so she doesn't need to work.

  • He only agreed to marry her so he could live off her (money).

• 4 (of things that are not alive) to exist or continue to exist:

  • The memory of those terrible days lives on.

• 5 to have an interesting life:

  • I want to live a little before I settle down.

  • If you haven't seen Venice, you haven't lived.

• 6 having life:

  • Millions of live animals are shipped around the world each year.

  • There was a tank of live lobsters in the restaurant.

• 7 (of a performance) broadcast, recorded, or seen while it is happening:

  • This evening there will be a live broadcast of the debate.

  • a live recording

• 8 (of a wire) carrying or charged with electricity:

  • a live wire

• 9 able to explode:

  • live rounds of ammunition

  • live shells

• 10 (of a fire, coals, or a match) still burning or able to burn:

  • There are live coals in the fireplace.

• 11 broadcast as it happens; performing or being performed in front of an audience:

  • I've got two tickets to see them (perform) live.

  • Our new payments system will go live at the beginning of next month.

• 12 to be alive or have life, or to continue in this state:

  • Rembrandt lived in the 17th century.

  • This oak tree has been living for over 200 years.

• 13 to have as your home or as the place where you stay or return, esp. to sleep:

  • Where do you live?

  • We live in St. Louis now but we used to live in Cincinnati.

  • Freshmen are required to live on campus.

  • My brother lives with four other people in a big house.

• 14 to stay alive by getting enough money to pay for food, a home, clothing, etc., or to stay alive by eating a particular food:

  • She’s so poor – I wonder how she lives.

  • While he’s studying for the finals, he lives on junk food.

  • He’s living off the money he inherited from his father.

• 15 to spend your life in a particular way:

  • [ I ] After a while you get used to living alone.

  • [ I ] On his income, they can afford to live well.

  • [ T ] She lived her whole life in a little town in New Mexico.

  • [ I ] If you haven’t been to Alaska, you haven’t lived.

• 16 (of a performance) shown or broadcast to people watching or listening as it is happening, rather than being recorded to be shown or broadcast later:

  • This evening at seven there will be a live telecast of the debate.

  • There will be live music (= people playing music) at the party.

• 17 carrying or charged with electricity:

  • You’d better test the electric outlet first to see if it’s live.

• 18 able to explode:

  • The army is using live ammunition on these maneuvers.

• 19 a live event is broadcast or seen at the same time it is performed or happens:

  • a live webcast/webinar

  • live broadcasts/coverage/discussions We try out ideas on thousands of customers at once, using live discussions or instant customer surveys.

• 20 broadcast or seen while being performed or happening:

  • The event will be screened live only by satellite broadcasters.

• 21 if a new system, especially a computer system, goes live, it starts to operate:

  • Our new payments system will go live at the end of the month.

• 22 to spend more than you earn:

  • To avoid slipping into debt, don't live beyond your means.