live
live — verb
- livepresent simple I / you / we / they
- liveshe / she / it
- livedpast simple
- living-ing form
1. to have life; to not be dead. Used about people, animals, and plants.
to have life; to not be dead. Used about people, animals, and plants.
Felix's grandmother lived to the age of ninety-seven.
live + to + age: expressing lifespan
The old oak tree outside the school has lived for over two hundred years.
Sea turtles can live much longer than most other animals.
Ilan's cat lived for nineteen years before she passed away.
Some desert plants live for months without a single drop of rain.
文法句型
live
2. to have the place where you make your home — for example, in a certain city, cou
to have the place where you make your home — for example, in a certain city, country, or kind of house.
Maja lives in a small flat near the old bridge in Kraków.
Liang and his wife live on the fifteenth floor of that tall building.
Rafael has lived in Lisbon since he was six years old.
The Watanabe family lives in a wooden house at the edge of the forest.
Evelyn lives with two friends in a shared flat above the bakery.
文法句型
live + adverb/prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (BE KEPT): sense 2 is about people and where they make their home; sense 3 is about objects and where they are stored.
常見錯誤
3. to have a usual spot where you keep something — said informally about everyday t
to have a usual spot where you keep something — said informally about everyday things like tools, papers, or kitchen items.
The spare batteries live in the top drawer of the desk.
inanimate subject + live + place: informal use
Evelyn's passport lives in a small blue folder on the shelf.
The gardening tools live in the wooden shed behind the house.
All the old photo albums live in a box under Grandma's bed.
The kitchen scissors live in the second drawer from the left.
文法句型
live + adverb/prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Used informally. The subject is always an inanimate object — never a person or animal. Distinguish from sense 2 (HAVE A HOME), which is about people and their living arrangements.
常見錯誤
4. to sleep outdoors and spend your days on the streets when you lack a home or the
to sleep outdoors and spend your days on the streets when you lack a home or the money for a place to stay.
Nadia spent two months living on the streets after losing her job.
'live on the streets' — common phrase for homelessness
The charity helps young people who are living rough in the city centre.
Chidi lived in a tent by the river for nearly a year.
Thousands of families lived in makeshift camps after the earthquake destroyed their homes.
Vinícius lived on the streets of São Paulo from the age of fourteen.
- sleep rough
British English; emphasises sleeping without shelter
文法句型
live + adverb/prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Often used in the phrase 'live rough' or 'live on the streets.' The subject is always a person. This sense describes a state of homelessness, not a camping trip or holiday.
常見錯誤
5. to pass your days in a certain way or style — you can live simply in a village,
to pass your days in a certain way or style — you can live simply in a village, or live like a king in a palace.
Selim has lived a quiet life in the same village for forty years.
cognate object: 'live a quiet life'
After the accident, Lakshmi decided to live each day as if it were her last.
The old fisherman lived simply, with just a boat and a small hut.
Eliska wants to live differently from her parents and travel the world.
Nadia and her husband lived like royalty during their two-week stay at the palace.
文法句型
live + a ... life
live + adverb
用法筆記
This is the main sense that takes a cognate object ('live a quiet life,' 'live a double life'). Distinguish from sense 1 (BE ALIVE), which is the core meaning of having life, and from sense 8 (a full and exciting life), which emphasises richness rather than manner.
常見錯誤
6. to make just enough money to cover the essentials — food, somewhere to sleep, an
to make just enough money to cover the essentials — food, somewhere to sleep, and clothes.
Chidi lives on very little money but seems happy with his simple life.
Many artists struggle to live from their work in the first few years.
Felix lives on a small pension and grows vegetables in his garden.
It is hard to live on just one salary with three children in the city.
The fishermen live from the sea, selling their catch at the morning market.
- subsist
formal; often used in academic or technical writing about poverty
- get by
informal phrasal verb; 'we get by on very little'
- make ends meet
idiom; emphasises balancing income and expenses exactly
文法句型
live on + noun phrase
live from + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'on' + a source of money ('live on a pension,' 'live on benefits'). Distinguish from sense 5 (LEAD A LIFE): sense 6 focuses narrowly on financial survival — having enough to get by — while sense 5 describes the overall style or quality of how someone spends their days.
常見錯誤
7. When an idea, memory, achievement, or feeling stays present in people's minds or
When an idea, memory, achievement, or feeling stays present in people's minds or keeps having an effect long after it began — said of traditions, stories, and influences, never of people or animals.
Noor's grandmother passed away, but her recipes live on in the family kitchen.
live on + in [place] for lasting influence
The poet's words live on in classrooms where students still read his verses.
live on among + [people/group]
Kwame's invention lives on in every smartphone made around the world today.
The old tradition lives on through a festival the town holds each spring.
Stories of the disaster live on in the songs fishermen still sing at sea.
文法句型
live on
live on in + [place/memory]
用法筆記
Subject is always something non-living — a memory, idea, tradition, achievement, or influence. Not used of people or animals.
常見錯誤
8. To go through life actively seeking joy, adventure, and meaning rather than just
To go through life actively seeking joy, adventure, and meaning rather than just getting by.
After retiring, Renata booked a year-long world trip and finally started to live.
live = embrace life fully (intransitive use)
Vikram left his desk job to live more fully, opening a café by the sea.
Anong spent her twenties living fully — trying every sport and visiting thirty countries.
Iris grabbed her passport and told her children, 'Go out and really live.'
The old man grinned: 'I have lived — three marriages, two wars, no regrets.'
- exist
merely stay alive without enjoyment or purpose
文法句型
live (intransitive, meaning 'enjoy life fully')
用法筆記
Often used with adverbs like 'fully', 'well', 'really', or in phrases like 'live life to the fullest'. The intransitive 'live' in this sense means much more than simply existing — it implies active enjoyment.
9. To share a home with a romantic partner as a couple without entering into marria
To share a home with a romantic partner as a couple without entering into marriage.
Noa and her partner lived together for five years before they got married.
live together = cohabit as unmarried partners
Emma and her boyfriend are living together in a small flat near the university.
In many countries, more young couples now live together without marrying first.
Takeshi's parents were surprised when he said he and Mira were living together.
Erik and Defne lived together quietly for a decade — neighbours assumed they were married.
- cohabit
formal or legal term for living together as a couple
文法句型
live together
live with + [partner]
用法筆記
Always implies a romantic or sexual partnership, not just sharing a house with a friend. 'Live with someone' can also mean sharing a home in a non-romantic way — context distinguishes the two.
常見錯誤
10. To personally go through a time, event, or feeling and know it directly — not se
To personally go through a time, event, or feeling and know it directly — not second-hand.
The old soldier lived through a war as a child and never forgot the sound of bombs.
live through + [difficult event]
You cannot understand poverty until you have lived it yourself for a month.
The nurse has lived the pain of losing a patient — she knows exactly how it feels.
Elena lived the dream of every young dancer when she joined the national ballet.
Bayu lived through the earthquake and still wakes up shaking on stormy nights.
- experience
the neutral, everyday word for going through something
- undergo
more formal; often for medical procedures or tests
- endure
implies suffering through something difficult
文法句型
live through + [experience/event]
live + [experience]
用法筆記
Often used with difficult or intense experiences (war, loss, hardship) but can also describe positive ones (a dream, an adventure). Takes a direct object or the pattern 'live through something'.
常見錯誤
11. To care about an activity or interest so much that it becomes a defining part of
To care about an activity or interest so much that it becomes a defining part of your daily life and identity.
Hiroshi lives for football — he watches every match and plays three times a week.
live for + [activity/passion]
Ananya lives for her garden; she spends every free hour planting and watering.
Lars lives for the weekend, when he can take his motorbike out on country roads.
Amara lives for cooking — her kitchen is filled with spices from a dozen countries.
Ezra lives for music; he has been to over two hundred concerts in his life.
- love
more common and general; 'live for' is stronger and more dramatic
- be passionate about
more formal way to express the same idea
- hate
strong opposite of love and enthusiasm
文法句型
live for + [activity/thing]
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'for' + the thing the person is passionate about. Common in informal speech. Can also appear as 'live and breathe something'.
常見錯誤
live — adjective
- livepositive
- livercomparative
- livestsuperlative
1. describes a creature — person, animal, or plant — whose body systems are still w
describes a creature — person, animal, or plant — whose body systems are still working; the opposite of dead.
Rafael bought live crabs at the market and cooked them for dinner that night.
live + animal noun
The vet found twelve live chicks under the warm brooder lamp.
Camille gave her mother a live orchid for the balcony garden.
Wildlife officers released several live turtles back into the river.
Kwame watched a live beetle push a crumb across the garden path.
文法句型
live + noun
用法筆記
Almost always placed before the noun it describes (attributive position). To say that a creature is not dead after the verb 'be', use 'alive' instead: 'The fish is alive' (not 'The fish is live').
常見錯誤
2. describes a performance, show, or broadcast that you watch or listen to at the s
describes a performance, show, or broadcast that you watch or listen to at the same moment it is taking place, rather than later from a recording.
Aylin watched the live broadcast of the tennis final from Istanbul.
live broadcast
The band always sounds better during a live concert than on their album.
Trang's whole family sat together for the live New Year show on television.
Emma sang two songs on a live radio programme yesterday morning.
The news channel showed live footage of the rescue helicopter touching down.
- pre-recorded
prepared and stored before being shown or heard
文法句型
live + broadcast/show/concert/performance
3. carrying an electric current and able to give a shock if touched. Also describes
carrying an electric current and able to give a shock if touched. Also describes a device or socket that is connected to a power supply and switched on.
Tamar warned the children never to touch a live wire with wet hands.
live wire
The electrician checked every socket to see which cables were still live.
Rodrigo tested each live wire with a special voltage meter before starting work.
Joaquín discovered a live connection inside the cracked plastic casing of his old toaster.
Those exposed ends are still live, so keep everyone away until I cut the power.
- dead
no longer carrying any electric current
- disconnected
physically separated from the power source
文法句型
live + wire/cable/connection
be + live
用法筆記
This sense can appear before the noun or after 'be' ('the wire is live'). Distinguish from sense 4 (CONTAINING EXPLOSIVES): a live wire carries electricity; live ammunition contains explosives.
4. describes a bomb, bullet, mine, or firework that still contains active explosive
describes a bomb, bullet, mine, or firework that still contains active explosive material inside it and can go off if triggered.
The bomb squad carefully removed the live grenade from the public square.
live + explosive device
Soldiers found several live landmines buried along the old border road.
Police discovered a live bullet inside the suspect's jacket pocket during the search.
Lakshmi's uncle showed the children how to handle live fireworks without getting hurt.
The museum displayed a defused shell right next to a live one for comparison.
- armed
specifically means the safety mechanism is off and it can fire immediately
- primed
ready to explode; often used for bombs with a timer or trigger set
- unexploded
did not go off when it was supposed to; still dangerous
文法句型
live + bomb/grenade/bullet/ammunition
be + live
用法筆記
Object must be something that can detonate (a bomb, bullet, grenade, mine, shell, or firework). 'Live ammunition' is the most common collocation.
5. describes a fire, coal, ember, or match that has not gone out and is still produ
describes a fire, coal, ember, or match that has not gone out and is still producing flame, heat, or a glow.
Wren threw another log onto the live coals in the campsite fire pit.
live coals
The blacksmith fanned the live coals until they glowed bright orange.
A chef blew gently on the live embers until a small orange flame appeared.
Grill the fish over the live charcoal until the skin turns golden and crisp.
A few live embers from last night's fire still glowed under the grey ash.
- extinguished
deliberately put out
- out
no longer burning (the fire is out, the match is out)
文法句型
live + coals/embers/charcoal/fire/match
用法筆記
Always placed before the noun. The most frequent collocation is 'live coals'; 'live charcoal' and 'live embers' are also common in cooking and camping contexts.
6. describes a subject, problem, or question that still matters to people right now
describes a subject, problem, or question that still matters to people right now and is being actively talked about or considered.
Climate change remains a live issue for voters across the whole country.
live issue
The debate over school funding is still a very live topic in parliament.
Historians still treat the manuscript's origin as a live question even today.
The community kept the debate live by writing letters to the local newspaper.
Water shortages are a live concern for farming communities across the region.
文法句型
live + issue/question/topic/concern
keep/remain + live
用法筆記
Often follows 'remain' or 'keep' to mean the topic has not been settled or closed. Subject is typically an abstract noun: issue, question, debate, concern, topic, matter.
7. working and available for use (said of a machine, system, or service)
working and available for use (said of a machine, system, or service)
The new payment system went live at midnight without a single problem.
go + live for becoming operational
Nikhil checked that every security camera was live before leaving for the night.
Priya confirmed the new booking system was live before announcing it to staff.
A live tracker on the website shows exactly where the delivery van is.
The online banking app is now live, so customers can check their balances anytime.
- operational
more formal; used in technical or military contexts
- functioning
emphasises that something is working correctly, not just switched on
- active
broader; can apply to people and processes as well as systems
文法句型
go + live
be + live
用法筆記
Often used about websites, computer systems, and services that become available after development. 'Go live' is the typical phrase for the moment something becomes operational.
常見錯誤
8. describes a person who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm and is often active an
describes a person who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm and is often active and cheerful
The party was live until three in the morning — nobody wanted to go home.
predicative: 'the party was live'
The crowd at the jazz club was live, clapping and dancing after every solo.
The atmosphere in the stadium was live the moment the home team ran out.
Things got live when the DJ played the band's most famous song.
It is so live in here tonight — I haven't seen a dance floor this full in years.
文法句型
be + live
seem + live
look + live
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 ('having life; not dead'). This sense describes energy and enthusiasm — not merely being alive. Common in informal spoken English, especially in British usage.
常見錯誤
live — adverb
1. broadcast or performed at the same moment that people are watching or listening,
broadcast or performed at the same moment that people are watching or listening, rather than being recorded earlier
Hyun watched the football final live on television, cheering when his team scored.
watched + [event] + live on television
The radio station broadcast the concert live from the city square.
broadcast + [event] + live from [place]
Femi and his band performed live for a crowd of over two thousand people.
The debate was shown live on three different news channels.
Amani sang live at the wedding, and everyone stopped talking to listen.
- in real time
more formal; used for data or online events rather than stage performances
用法筆記
Used after verbs of broadcasting or performance such as sing, perform, show, broadcast, or stream.
常見錯誤
2. starting to operate and become available for people to use, especially when talk
starting to operate and become available for people to use, especially when talking about a new computer system, website, or piece of software
The company's new website went live on Monday after months of testing.
went live + on [day]
Vivek checked the app store every hour to see if his app had gone live.
had gone live — past perfect form
The airport's new booking system will go live at midnight tonight.
Brandon's team celebrated when the online payment tool finally went live.
The updated software went live without any problems, which surprised the whole department.
- launch
can be transitive (launch a site) or intransitive; 'go live' is always intransitive and refers to the moment users can access it
文法句型
go live
用法筆記
Only used in the fixed phrase 'go live.' The subject is nearly always a system, website, app, or piece of software.