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life(noun)/laɪf/ /laɪf/- the ability to breathe, grow, produce young, etc. that people, animals and plants have before they die and that objects do not have
SEE ALSO pro-life
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/pro-life - This could mean the difference between life and death.
- The body was cold and showed no signs of life.
- I wish we could bring dinosaurs back to life.
- In spring the countryside bursts into life.
Extra Examples- The driver showed no signs of life.
- She clung to life for several weeks.
- Anti-abortionists say they are campaigning for the right to life.
- a child bursting with life
- It's April and the garden is burgeoning with life.
- I could almost see the life draining from his body.
- Dr Frankenstein was able to endow his creature with life.
- These two-dimensional figures are somehow given life.
- He creates wonderful puppets, brimming with life.
- the state of being alive as a human; an individual person’s existence
- The floods caused a massive loss of life (= many people were killed).
- All risk to human life should be avoided.
- He risked his life to save his daughter from the fire.
- The operation saved her life.
- My grandfather lost his life (= was killed) in the war.
- The bombing claimed the lives of (= killed) thousands of people.
- Hundreds of lives were threatened when the building collapsed.
- Attempts have been made on his life (= people have tried to kill him).
Extra Examples- He said the men had threatened his life.
- People's lives are in danger because of this disease.
- You've put lives in danger through your carelessness.
- You've endangered lives through your carelessness.
- a drug that will save lives
- He saved her life by pulling her out of the water.
- She went back into the building at the risk of her own life.
- Tackle the fire if there is no threat to your life.
- You'll do anything if your life is on the line.
- Witnesses are living in fear for their life after giving evidence against the gang.
- Fearing for their lives, they ran away.
- He lost his life in an air crash.
- Is it ever justifiable to take a life?
- I owe my life to the doctors at the hospital.
- I owe him my life.
- No lives were lost in the accident.
- She begged the soldiers to spare her son's life.
- The crash claimed 43 lives.
- She risked her life for the sake of the children.
- The plane crashed with heavy loss of life.
- There have been three attempts on the president's life.
- His foolishness almost cost him his life.
- living things
- plant/animal/insect life
- Plastic is a threat to marine life.
- Nuclear war could mean the end of life on earth.
- Is there intelligent life on other planets?
- There was no sign of life in the abandoned village.
Extra Examples- All forms of life are to be found in this forest.
- More species of plant and animal life die out as their very specialized habitat is disturbed.
- Algae can pose a danger to pond life.
- The area has a rich and complex plant life.
- The world's oceans are teeming with life.
- In spring, the hedgerows buzz with life.
- The hedgerow supports a wide variety of animal and bird life.
- Loss of habitat is a major threat to insect life.
- Pollution is harming bird life in our cities.
- Climate change will affect all life on earth.
- Is there life on Mars?
- the period between somebody’s birth and their death; a part of this period
SEE ALSO change of life
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/the-change-of-life - He's lived here all his life.
- I've lived in England for most of my life.
- somebody's whole/entire life
- We have known each other our whole lives.
- He will spend the rest of his life (= until he dies) in a wheelchair.
- to have a long/short life
- to devote/dedicate your life to something
- She's had some interesting experiences in her life.
- I've never in my entire life been so embarrassed.
- in early/later life
- Brenda took up tennis late in life.
- A baby's weight will normally double in the first five months of life.
- Throughout her life she was dogged by loneliness.
- She had three marriages during her 89-year life.
- There's no such thing as a job for life any longer.
- She stayed there until the end of her life.
- He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Extra Examples- Experiences in early life can have a great impact.
- Bad posture is one of the causes of back pain in later life.
- This usually happens during the first 24 to 36 hours of life.
- for the first time in her life
- He'll be haunted by the crash for the rest of his life.
- She discovered jazz quite late in life.
- I've known her all my life.
- He built his whole life around his children.
- I've been wanting to do this my whole life.
- I've never seen so much food in my entire life.
- He devoted his life to the education of deaf children.
- She dedicated her whole life to this cause.
- He ended his life a happy man.
- He never let his work dominate his life.
- He ruined his life through drinking.
- He spent his whole life in Cornwall.
- They cannot cure her, but they can prolong her life.
- Her paintings became more obscure towards the end of her life.
- He became very weak towards the end of his life.
- In later life he took up writing.
- She sensed she was entering a new phase in her life.
- I think I may have been an animal in a previous life.
- They became friends for life.
- A monarch normally rules for life.
- That experience put me off alcohol for life!
- She thought marriage should be for life.
- There has only been one woman in her life.
- He met the love of his life at college.
- She is a life member of the club.
- a period of somebody’s life when they are in a particular situation or job
- She has been an accountant all her working life.
- He spent his entire adult life in France.
- They were very happy throughout their married life.
- During his 13-year life in Britain he has never worked.
- He met a lot of interesting people during his life as a student.
Extra Examples- He was a miner all his working life.
- She began her working life as an architect.
- Last July I began my post-college life.
- She spent most of her working life in Strasbourg.
- They spent their working lives as farm labourers.
- I enjoyed the freedom I had during my single life.
- During my professional life I had to deal with many different types of people.
- He held several advisory posts during his academic life.
- It was the high point of her sporting life.
- It was the most difficult experience of my life as a teacher.
- Soon I will begin my life as a parent.
- She had some interesting stories about her life as a musician.
- He lived in Paris for most of his life as a painter.
- I've enjoyed our life together.
- the period of time when something exists or functions
SEE ALSO half-life
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/half-life - In Italy the average life of a government is eleven months.
- There are a few things you can do to extend the life of your carpet.
- These machines have a limited life (= they do not function well for very long).
- These smaller, lighter phones tend to have a shorter battery life.
- The International Stock Exchange started life as a coffee shop.
- The building will now have a new life as a museum.
Extra Examples- The hotel began life as a prison.
- The magazine started life as a comic book in 1952.
- By expanding your computer's storage you extend its useful life.
- Refrigeration can extend the life of food products.
- My new phone battery has a much longer life than the old one.
- A steady temperature will help lengthen the life of the battery.
- They could see that the company had a limited life (= it was going to close).
- Publicity has a very short life, so make the most of it while you're in the news.
- the experience and activities that are typical of all people’s existences
SEE ALSO real-life
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/real-life - the worries of everyday life
- Commuting is a part of daily life for many people.
- Trees and green spaces enhance our quality of life.
- He is young and has little experience of life.
- Jill wants to travel and see life for herself.
- We have no time just to enjoy life.
- Life can be hard.
- We bought a dishwasher to make life easier.
- Life isn't like in the movies, you know.
- It's important to have a purpose in life.
- In real life (= when she met him) he wasn't how she had imagined him at all.
- Can you imagine life without music?
- You can share life events like getting married or becoming a parent.
- He just needs a little more life experience.
Extra Examples- Disappointment is part of normal life.
- I wanted to see something of life before I settled down.
- Eventually you adjust to life without your loved one.
- Life with a baby is exhausting but wonderful.
- I can't imagine life without work.
- What would life be like if we didn't have the internet?
- the brutal reality of life on the streets
- His time in London was his first glimpse of the seamier side of life.
- He always had a great love of life.
- Technology has transformed every aspect of life.
- Sometimes in life you have to make compromises.
- Keeping busy helps you stay positive in life.
- They accepted that it was their role in life to serve others.
- She went through life always wanting what she couldn't get.
- He always believed in living life to the full.
- I've always had a fairly optimistic outlook on life.
- They both seem to want the same things out of life.
- Moving house is one of the most stressful life events there is.
- the activities and experiences that are typical of a particular way of living
SEE ALSO good life
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/the-good-life - We just want a normal family life.
- Technology is part of modern life.
- She enjoyed political life.
- His fame was so sudden that he was unprepared for public life.
- country/city/island life
- How do you find life in Japan?
- He eventually got used to life in prison.
Extra Examples- Arguments are part of married life.
- Island life has its own rhythms.
- A child will take time to adjust to school life.
- Communication is vital to the economic life of a country.
- He finds city life very stressful.
- Transport problems are part of life in the countryside.
- Have you ever experienced life in a small town?
- He had only ever known life in an institution.
- the frenetic pace of modern life
- a person’s experiences during their life; the activities that form a particular part of a person’s life
SEE ALSO love life
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/love-life - to have/live/lead a… life
- He has had a good life.
- She lived a quiet life in the countryside.
- Many of these children have led very sheltered lives (= they have not had many different experiences).
- a hard/an easy life
- Her daily life involved meeting lots of people.
- My day-to-day life is not very exciting.
- Meeting Penny changed my life.
- to affect/improve somebody's life
- They emigrated to start a new life in Canada.
- He doesn't like to talk about his private life.
- She has a full social life.
- They lead a life of luxury.
- I don't want people like that in my life.
Extra Examples- He has had a hard life.
- She led a life of luxury.
- He led a life of great hardship.
- They live a life of toil.
- They went to Australia to start a new life.
- They're living a life of luxury in the Bahamas.
- My life would be nothing without you.
- Education has always been an important part of my life.
- I find a positive attitude helps in every aspect of my life.
- We all encounter challenges in our lives.
- These are issues that affect our lives.
- Meeting you has changed my life.
- Learning meditation changed her life.
- There are some discoveries that change lives.
- We have the power to improve the lives of all Americans.
- Architecture has the potential to transform human lives.
- They moved here in search of a better life.
- She leads a busy social life.
- She did not tolerate press intrusion into her private life.
- She is still rebuilding her life after the accident.
- He never discussed the unhappiness of his past life.
- Only his wife had access to his inner life.
- the quality of being active and exciting
SYNONYM vitality
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/vitality - This is a great holiday resort that is full of life.
- We need to inject some new life into this project.
Extra Examples- The market is bustling with life.
- The streets are crowded and full of life.
- They hope the new bars and restaurants will bring some life to an area normally dead after 8pm.
- Let's put some life into this party!
- The introduction of her character gives the movie a bit more life.
- The city has started to have much more life, with new parks and shopping precincts.
- She has brought new life to the team.
- When she left it was as if all the life went out of the house.
- All the life seemed to have gone out of the movement.
- I love the energy and life of the city.
- the punishment of being sent to prison for life or a very long period of time; life imprisonment
- The judge gave him life.
- She is doing life for murder.
- a living model or a real object or scene that people draw or paint
SEE ALSO still life
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/still-life - She had lessons in drawing from life.
- a life class (= one in which art students draw a naked man or woman)
- a story of somebody’s life
SYNONYM biography
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/biography - She wrote a life of Mozart.
- one of a set number of chances before a player is out of a game
- He's lost two lives, so he's only got one left.
- at the age you are (especially when you are not young)
- Eyesight doesn't get any better at my time of life.
- be the most important person or thing to somebody
- My children are my life.
- Writing is his life.
- to improve something by introducing new ideas and making people more interested in it
- The results of their research have breathed new life into the debate.
Extra Examples- He hopes the development will breathe new life into the community.
- They need some new, younger staff to breathe some life into the company.
- an essential part of a person’s existence
- Playing the violin has been the breath of life to her for over 20 years.
- to make somebody/something more interesting or exciting
- The new teacher really brought French to life for us.
- Flowers can bring a dull room back to life.
- to become more interesting, exciting or full of activity
- The match finally came to life in the second half.
- The city only comes to life at night.
- to start to act or move as if alive
- In my dream all my toys came to life.
- to die. People say ‘depart this life’ to avoid saying ‘die’.
- an unhappy life, full of problems or unfair treatment
- He led poor Amy a dog’s life. She was desperately lonely, poor dear.
- to spend the last part of your life in a particular state or place
- He ended his days in poverty.
- a situation that cannot be changed, especially one that is unpleasant
- Illness is just a fact of life.
- It’s a fact of life that some people will always be racist.
Extra Examples- a rather harsh fact of life
- It's a fact of life that you don't get anything for nothing.
- It is an sad fact of life that the most deserving people do not often achieve the most success.
- the details about sex and about how babies are born, especially as told to children
- to make a great effort to stay alive, especially when you are badly injured or seriously ill
- A young cyclist is fighting for his life after the accident.
- as hard or as fast as possible
- She was holding on to the rope for dear life.
- Run for your life!
- however hard you try
- I cannot for the life of me imagine why they want to leave.
- to frighten somebody very much
- You scared the life out of me coming in so suddenly like that.
- having a lot of energy
- It's nice to see an old man still so full of life.
- used to tell somebody to stop being boring and to do something more interesting
- Do us all a favour… get a life!
- to hold somebody/something very tightly because you are afraid
- to be very lucky in dangerous situations
- to enjoy yourself very much
- feeling frightened that you might be killed
- a method of helping somebody who has stopped breathing to breathe again by placing your mouth on theirs and forcing air into their lungs
- used to show surprise at seeing somebody/something
- I hadn’t seen her for fifteen years and then there she was, (as) large as life.
- looking or behaving in a way that is more interesting or exciting than other people, and so is likely to attract attention
SYNONYM flamboyant
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/flamboyant - He's a larger than life character.
- to die in order to save somebody/something
SYNONYM sacrifice
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/sacrifice_2 - They were prepared to lay down their lives for their country.
- to live a happy and comfortable life with no problems or responsibilities
- The two crooks had been living the life of Riley.
- He planned to retire early and then lead the life of Riley.
- the chance to live or last longer, or with a better quality of life
- Since her hip operation she's had a new lease of life.
- the possibility or belief that people continue to exist in some form after they die
- Do you believe in life after death?
- the liveliest and funniest person at a party, etc.
- used to say that there is a situation in which it is not thought to be important if people somewhere die or are treated badly
- seeming to move or function by itself without a person touching or working it
- used to say that it is not worth wasting time doing something that you dislike or that is not important
- Life's too short to sit around moping.
- the person somebody loves more than any other
- to cause problems for somebody
- She does everything she can to make life difficult for him.
- to behave in a way that makes somebody else feel very unhappy
- My old boss used to make my life a misery.
- His constant criticism made her life a misery.
- the man or woman that you are having a sexual or romantic relationship with
- Anna has a new man in her life.
- used to describe a situation that is very important or serious
- You mustn't let anyone know— it's a matter of life and death.
- These talks are a matter of life or death for the factory.
- to be completely unable to do something
- He can't interview people to save his life.
- used to say that you will definitely not do something
- to risk being killed or injured in order to do something
- She risked life and limb to save her children from the fire.
- a film, play or book that gives a very realistic view of ordinary life
- This drama provides a slice of life in 1950s Connecticut.
- to suddenly start working or doing something
- ‘Let's go!’ he said, springing into action.
- The town springs to life (= becomes busy) during the carnival.
- a basic food, especially bread
- to kill somebody
- to kill yourself
- to risk being killed
- You take your life in your hands just crossing the road here.
- used when you are disappointed about something but know that you must accept it
- It’s a shame I can’t go on the trip, but that’s life.
- when you say that’s the story of my life about a bad experience you have had, you mean you have had many similar experiences
- Another missed opportunity—that’s the story of my life!
- Out of work with no money—that's the story of my life.
- seeming real rather than invented
- I don’t think the characters are very true to life.
- having a range of different experiences makes life more interesting
- a person’s job or position in society
SYNONYM background
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/background - She has friends from all walks of life.
- the typical pattern of behaviour of a person or group
- the American way of life
- She loved the Spanish way of life and immediately felt at home there.
- the beliefs and practices of the Hindu way of life
- in a bad situation you must not give up hope because there is always a chance that it will improve
- used to say that you are certain that something will happen
- You can bet your life that he'll be late.
Word Origin- Old English līf, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lijf, German Leib ‘body’, also to live1.
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