life

noun (plural lives)

1》 the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.

    ↘living things and their activity.

2》 the existence of an individual human being or animal.

    ↘a particular type or aspect of human existence: school life.

    ↘a biography.

    ↘informal a sentence of imprisonment for life.

    ↘(in various games) each of a specified number of chances each player has before being put out.

3》 the period during which something continues to exist, function, or be valid.

4》 vitality, vigour, or energy.

5》 [as modifier] (in art) based on a living rather than an imagined form: a life drawing.

Phrases

come (or bring) to life

1》 regain or cause to regain consciousness.

2》 become or make active, lively, or interesting.

for dear (or one's) life as if or in order to escape death.

for the life of me informal however hard I try.

as large as (or larger than) life informal conspicuously present.

larger than life attracting attention because of unusual and flamboyant appearance or behaviour.

life-and-death deciding whether someone lives or dies; vitally important.

the life and soul of the party a vivacious and sociable person.

a matter of life and death a matter of vital importance.

not on your life informal emphatically not.

see life gain a wide experience of the world.

take one's life in one's hands risk being killed.

Origin

OE līf, of Gmc origin; related to live¹.