life*/*/*/

[laɪf]

(plural lives [laɪvz] ) noun

1) [C/U] the period of time from someone's birth until their death

He had a long and happy life.[/ex]

Don't spend your whole life worrying about money.[/ex]

She's lived in California all her life.[/ex]

2) [C/U] your particular way of living and the experiences that you have

His life revolves around his children.[/ex]

I never liked city life (= the experiences people have in a city).[/ex]

The life of a film star is not always a glamorous one.[/ex]

I just want to be able to lead a normal life.[/ex]

3) [C/U] the state of being alive

He believed his life was in danger.[/ex]

They risk their lives to protect the people they love.[/ex]

Thousands of people lost their lives (= died) in the earthquake.[/ex]

It was a police officer who saved her life.[/ex]

4) [U] living things such as plants and animals

Is there life on other planets?[/ex]

the great variety of bird life in the area[/ex]

5) [C] the period of time during which something exists or continues

The average life of a television is about ten years.[/ex]

During the life of this government, unemployment has increased by 5%.[/ex]

6) [U] the quality of being lively or exciting

There's not much life in this village.[/ex]

7) [U] informal

a punishment in which someone is sent to prison for the rest of their life

•

bring sth to life — to make something exciting or interesting[/ex]

a book that brings the subject to life[/ex]

come to life — to start to be exciting or interesting[/ex]

a new TV series in which history really comes to life[/ex]

get a life — spoken used for telling someone that they are boring[/ex]

not on your life — spoken used for telling someone that you will certainly not do something[/ex]

that's life — used for encouraging someone to accept that bad things happen to everyone, not just them[/ex]

the time of your life — a very enjoyable experience[/ex]

The children were having the time of their lives.[/ex]

See:

matter I