Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Living

Liv′ing

(lĭv′ĭng)
,
Adj.
[From
Live
,
Verb.
I.
]
1.
Being alive; having life;
as, a
living
creature
. Opposed to
dead
.
2.
Active; lively; vigorous; – said esp. of states of the mind, and sometimes of abstract things;
as, a
living
faith; a
living
principle.
Living hope. ”
Wyclif.
3.
Issuing continually from the earth; running; flowing;
as, a
living
spring
; – opposed to
stagnant
.
4.
Producing life, action, animation, or vigor; quickening.
Living light.”
Shak.
5.
Ignited; glowing with heat; burning; live.
Then on the
living
coals wine they pour.
Dryden.
Living force
.
See
Vis viva
, under
Vis
.
Living gale
(Naut.)
,
a heavy gale.
Living rock
or
Living stone
,
rock in its native or original state or location; rock not quarried.
“ I now found myself on a rude and narrow stairway, the steps of which were cut out of the living rock.”
Moore.
The living
,
those who are alive, or one who is alive.

Liv′ing

,
Noun.
1.
The state of one who, or that which, lives; lives; life; existence.
“Health and living.”
Shak.
2.
Manner of life;
as, riotous
living
; penurious
living
; earnest
living
.
“ A vicious living.”
Chaucer.
3.
Means of subsistence; sustenance; estate;
as, to make a comfortable
living
from writing
.
She can spin for her
living
.
Shakespeare
He divided unto them his
living
.
Luke xv. 12.
4.
Power of continuing life; the act of living, or living comfortably.
There is no
living
without trusting somebody or other in some cases.
L’ Estrange.
5.
The benefice of a clergyman; an ecclesiastical charge which a minister receives.
[Eng.]
He could not get a deanery, a prebend, or even a
living
Macaulay.

Webster 1828 Edition


Living

LIV'ING

,
ppr.
[from live.]
1.
Dwelling; residing; existing; subsisting; having life or the vital functions in operation; not dead.
2.
a. Issuing continually from the earth; running; flowing; as a living spring or fountain; opposed to stagnant.
3.
a. Producing action, animation and vigor; quickening; as a living principle; a living faith.

LIV'ING

,
Noun.
He or those who are alive; usually with a plural signification; as in the land of the living.
The living will lay it to his heart. Eccles. 7.

LIV'ING

, n.
1.
Means of subsistence; estate.
He divided to them his living. Luke 15.
She of her want, did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Mark 41.
2.
Power of continuing life. There is no living with a scold.
There is no living without trusting some body or other in some cases.
3.
Livelihood. He made a living by his occupation. The woman spins for a living.
4.
The benefice of a clergyman. He lost his living by non-conformity.

Definition 2024


living

living

English

Verb

living

  1. present participle of live

Adjective

living (not comparable)

  1. Having life.
    • 1992, Rudolf M. Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, page ix:
      It is also pertinent to note that the current obvious decline in work on holarctic hepatics most surely reflects a current obsession with cataloging and with nomenclature of the organisms—as divorced from their study as living entities.
  2. In use or existing.
    Hunanese is a living language.
  3. Of everyday life.
    These living conditions are deplorable.
  4. True to life.
    This is the living image of Fidel Castro.
  5. Used as an intensifier.
    He almost beat the living daylights out of me.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

living (countable and uncountable, plural livings)

  1. (uncountable) The state of being alive.
  2. Financial means; a means of maintaining life; livelihood
    What do you do for a living?
  3. A style of life.
    plain living
  4. (canon law) A position in a church (usually the Church of England) that has attached to it a source of income; an ecclesiastical benefice.
    • 2015, GR Evans, Edward Hicks: Pacifist Bishop at War:
      The patron of the living who had the right to nominate a particular priest might make the choice, but the living was actually granted by the local bishop.

Derived terms

Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: 4 · late · bed · #530: living · view · although · knowledge

French

Etymology

From English.

Noun

living m (plural livings)

  1. living room

Spanish

Etymology

English

Noun

living m (plural livings)

  1. living room

Synonyms