live in

live in idiom
  1. Reside in one's place of employment or schooling, as in They wanted a baby-sitter who could live in, or Joe was planning to live in at the college. This expression is used primarily for domestic servants or students. [Late 1800s] Also see live out.
  2. live in something. Continue in existence, memory, or some feeling. This sense appears in such phrases as live in the past, meaning “to concentrate on past memories,” or live in hope of, meaning “to continue anticipating that something will happen.” For example, Alice lived in the past; she had no interest in current events, or Jim lived in hope of getting a teaching post. Also see live in sin.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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