noun pl. lives

1. that property or quality of plants and animals that distinguishes them from inorganic matter or dead organisms; specif., the cellular biochemical activity or processes of an organism, characterized by the ingestion of nutrients, the storage and use of energy, the excretion of wastes, growth, reproduction, etc.
2. this activity, or the state of possessing this property brought back to life
3. a living being, esp. a human being the lives lost in wars
4. living things collectively, often of a specified kind plant life
5. the time a person or thing is alive or exists, or a specific portion of such time his early life
6. a sentence of imprisonment for the rest of one's life
7. one's manner of living a life of ease
8. the activities of a given time or in a given setting, and the people who take part in them military life
9. lives considered together as belonging to a certain class or type high life
10. 1. an individual's animate existence
    2. an account of this; biography
    3. a specific aspect of an individual's activities her love life
11. the existence of the soul eternal life
12. something essential to the continued existence of something else freedom of speech is the life of democracy
13. the source of vigor or liveliness the life of the party
14. vigor; liveliness; animation; vivacity
15. the period of flourishing, usefulness, etc.; period during which anything lasts fads have a short life
16. another chance
17. Fine Arts
    1. a lifelike quality or appearance
    2. representation from living models a class in life

Etymology: ME < OE līf, akin to ON líf, life, Ger leib, body < IE base *leibh-, to live

adjective

1. for a lifetime a life sentence
2. of or relating to the property of life life processes
3. using live models a life class in art