life */*/*/

UK [laɪf] / US noun
Word forms "life":
singular life plural lives UK [laɪvz] / US

Metaphor:

Life is like a journey, and your experiences are like different parts of a journey. Dying is like travelling to another place. The baby arrived just after midnight. ♦ He came into the world in 1703. ♦ I set out to become a doctor, but it never worked out. ♦ She went through life without ever knowing the truth. ♦ It's all been an uphill struggle. ♦ We seem to be at a crossroads. ♦ His life took an unexpected direction. ♦ He embarked on a new career. ♦ You've got to move on and forget about what's happened. ♦ Will they go the distance? ♦ She's well on the way to recovery. ♦ They're over the hill now. ♦ His grandmother passed away/on last year. ♦ They remembered the departed in their prayers. Events in your life are like games, with people trying to win, or with things happening by chance. I'm on a winning/losing streak. ♦ You win some, you lose some. ♦ It's all been a race against time. ♦ This is not a level playing field. ♦ They're planning to drop out of the rat race. ♦ Is he in/out of the running? ♦ The election will be a one-horse race. ♦ They asked, but their parents wouldn't play ball. ♦ This development has been on/in the cards for some time. ♦ If you play your cards right, you shouldn't have any problems. ♦ The cards were stacked against us. ♦ Then they played their trump card and we gave in. ♦ We just had a lucky throw of the dice. ♦ All bets are off – nobody knows what will happen now. ➡ situation

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

She devoted her life to helping others.

He had a long and happy life.

spend your life:

Don't spend your whole life worrying about money.

in (all) your life:

I have never been so disappointed in my life.

all your life:

She's lived in California all her life.

early life (= the time when you are a child):

He spent his early life in Malaysia.

adult life (= the time when you are an adult):

He lived most of his adult life in prison.

in later life (= towards the end of someone's life):

It was in later life that he wrote some of his best poems.

late in life (= at a time in your life that is later than usual):

She got married late in life.

for life (= continuing through your whole life):

The accident left her scarred for life.

See:

working life

2) [countable, usually singular] your particular way of living and the experiences that you have

His life revolves around his children.

It was an event that would change his life forever.

lead a happy/normal/interesting etc life:

I just want to be able to lead a normal life.

a hard life (= a difficult life):

She looks like someone who's had a very hard life.

a) [countable/uncountable] the events and experiences that are typical of a particular place or group of people

I had no idea what life with a baby would be like.

city/village/prison/university etc life:

Escape from the bustle and noise of city life for a while.

the life of someone:

The life of a film star is not always a glamorous one.

married life (= the time when you are married or the life that you have):

How's married life suiting you?

b) [uncountable] the events and experiences that happen to people in general

He's a person who really loves life.

His mother has a great enthusiasm for life.

see life (= experience a lot of different things):

You really see life in my job.

3) [countable/uncountable] the state of being alive

He believed his life was in danger.

claim lives (= kill people):

The disease is still claiming thousands of lives every year.

risk your life:

They risk their lives to protect the people they love.

put your/someone's life at risk:

They are putting lives at risk with their irresponsible behaviour.

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

We are now beginning to believe that there may be life on other planets.

animal/plant/insect/bird life:

the great variety of bird life in the area

5)

a) [singular] the period of time during which something exists or continues

life of:

During the life of this government, unemployment has increased by 5%.

b) the period of time during which something is still good enough to be used

life of:

The average life of a television is about ten years.

6)

a) [uncountable] the amount of activity or excitement in a place

There's not much life in this village.

b) interesting or exciting qualities

The early stories are full of life.

7) [countable] in a game, one of a number of times that you can lose but still continue to play

lose a life:

When you've lost three lives, you're out.

8) [uncountable] life imprisonment

get life:

You'd expect him to get life for such a serious crime.

•

the life and soul (of the party) — informal someone who is very lively at social events

the man/woman in your life — often humorous your boyfriend, husband, girlfriend, or wife

an ideal gift for the woman in your life

risk/sacrifice life and limb — to be put, or to put yourself, in physical danger

He has risked life and limb to bring us these news reports.

- bring something to life

- from life

- get a life

- lay down your life

- life begins at forty

- life goes on

- life's too short

- the next life

- not for the life of me

- not on your life

- of your life

- put your life in someone's hands

- take someone's life

- take your own life

- that's life

- this is the life

- the time of your life

See:

come I, frighten, lose, matter I, quality of life, real life, save I, true I, way of life