Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Life"

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)

Life
generally of physical life (Gen. 2:7; Luke 16:25, etc.); also
used figuratively (1) for immortality (Heb. 7:16); (2) conduct
or manner of life (Rom. 6:4); (3) spiritual life or salvation
(John 3:16, 17, 18, 36); (4) eternal life (Matt. 19:16, 17; John
3:15); of God and Christ as the absolute source and cause of all
life (John 1:4; 5:26, 39; 11:25; 12:50).

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Life \Life\ (l[imac]f), n.; pl. {Lives} (l[imac]vz). [AS.
l[imac]f; akin to D. lijf body, G. leib body, MHG. l[imac]p
life, body, OHG. l[imac]b life, Icel. l[imac]f, life, body,
Sw. lif, Dan. liv, and E. live, v. [root]119. See {Live}, and
cf. {Alive}.]
1. The state of being which begins with generation, birth, or
germination, and ends with death; also, the time during
which this state continues; that state of an animal or
plant in which all or any of its organs are capable of
performing all or any of their functions; -- used of all
animal and vegetable organisms.

2. Of human beings: The union of the soul and body; also, the
duration of their union; sometimes, the deathless quality
or existence of the soul; as, man is a creature having an
immortal life.

She shows a body rather than a life. --Shak.

3. (Philos) The potential principle, or force, by which the
organs of animals and plants are started and continued in
the performance of their several and co["o]perative
functions; the vital force, whether regarded as physical
or spiritual.

4. Figuratively: The potential or animating principle, also,
the period of duration, of anything that is conceived of
as resembling a natural organism in structure or
functions; as, the life of a state, a machine, or a book;
authority is the life of government.

5. A certain way or manner of living with respect to
conditions, circumstances, character, conduct, occupation,
etc.; hence, human affairs; also, lives, considered
collectively, as a distinct class or type; as, low life; a
good or evil life; the life of Indians, or of miners.

That which before us lies in daily life. --Milton.

By experience of life abroad in the world. --Ascham.

Lives of great men all remind us We can make our
lives sublime. --Longfellow.

'T is from high life high characters are drawn.
--Pope

6. Animation; spirit; vivacity; vigor; energy.

No notion of life and fire in fancy and in words.
--Felton.

That gives thy gestures grace and life.
--Wordsworth.

7. That which imparts or excites spirit or vigor; that upon
which enjoyment or success depends; as, he was the life of
the company, or of the enterprise.

8. The living or actual form, person, thing, or state; as, a
picture or a description from the life.

9. A person; a living being, usually a human being; as, many
lives were sacrificed.

10. The system of animal nature; animals in general, or
considered collectively.

Full nature swarms with life. --Thomson.

11. An essential constituent of life, esp. the blood.

The words that I speak unto you . . . they are
life. --John vi. 63.

The warm life came issuing through the wound.
--Pope

12. A history of the acts and events of a life; a biography;
as, Johnson wrote the life of Milton.

13. Enjoyment in the right use of the powers; especially, a
spiritual existence; happiness in the favor of God;
heavenly felicity.

14. Something dear to one as one's existence; a darling; --
used as a term of endearment.

Note: Life forms the first part of many compounds, for the
most part of obvious meaning; as, life-giving,
life-sustaining, etc.

{Life annuity}, an annuity payable during one's life.

{Life arrow}, {Life rocket}, {Life shot}, an arrow, rocket,
or shot, for carrying an attached line to a vessel in
distress in order to save life.

{Life assurance}. See {Life insurance}, below.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

life
n 1: a characteristic state or mode of living; "social life";
"city life"; "real life"
2: the course of existence of an individual; the actions and
events that occur in living; "he hoped for a new life in
Australia"; "he wanted to live his own life without
interference from others"
3: the experience of living; the course of human events and
activities; "he could no longer cope with the complexities
of life" [syn: {living}]
4: the condition of living or the state of being alive; "while
there's life there's hope"; "life depends on many chemical
and physical processes" [syn: {animation}, {living}, {aliveness}]
5: the period during which something is functional (as between
birth and death); "the battery had a short life"; "he
lived a long and happy life" [syn: {lifetime}, {lifespan}]
6: the period between birth and the present time; "I have known
him all his life"
7: animation and energy in action or expression; "it was a
heavy play and the actors tried in vain to give life to
it" [syn: {liveliness}, {spirit}, {sprightliness}]
8: an account of the series of events making up a person's life
[syn: {biography}, {life story}, {life history}]
9: the period from the present until death; "he appointed
himself emperor for life"
10: a living person; "his heroism saved a life"
11: living things collectively; "the oceans are teeming with
life"
12: a motive for living; "pottery was his life"
13: the organic phenomenon that distinguishes living organisms
from nonliving ones; "there is no life on the moon"


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