alive
adj/əˈlaɪv/
Etymology From Middle English alyve, alive, alife, olive, olife, on live, on life, from Old English on līfe (“alive”, literally “in life" or "in (the) body”), from on (“on, in”) + līfe, dative singular of līf (“life”). In this sense, replaced Old English cwic (whence English quick). Equivalent to a- + life. Compare Dutch in leven (“alive”, literally “in life”), German am Leben (“alive”, literally “at life" or "at living”).
9 senses
- 1Having life; living; not dead.
- 2In a state of action; in force or operation; existent.
- 3Busy with activity of many living beings; swarming…
- 4Carrying electrical current; energized.
- 5Aware of; sensitive to.
- 6Sprightly; lively; brisk.
- 7Susceptible, sensitive; easy to impress; having keen…
- 8Out of all living creatures.
- 9Synonym of live.
1
Having life; living; not dead.
- As long as the plant is alive, he will continue to water it.
- I am hee that liueth, and was dead : and behold, I am aliue foꝛ euermoꝛe,Amen,and haue the keyes of hell and of death.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Rev 1:18:
2
In a state of action; in force or operation; existent.
- to keep the fire alive
- to keep the affections alive
3
Busy with activity of many living beings; swarming; thronged; busy.
- Although quite dull during the day, the main street comes alive at night, with many bars and clubs opening.
- First a solitary blackbird started up, and soon the whole forest was alive with birdsong.
1 more example
- The Boyne, for a quarter of a mile, was alive with muskets and green boughs.1848, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James the Second:
4
Of electrical wiring Carrying electrical current; energized.
- DANGER: OVERHEAD CATENARY—WIRE IS ALIVE
5
In the construction "alive to" Aware of; sensitive to.
- We are alive to the ongoing potential for terrorist attacks.
- We may be sure that the Church would be alive to the dangers of allowing the plays to be performed outside the sacred edifice.1925, Godfrey W. Mathews, The Chester Mystery Plays […] ., Liverpool: Edward Howell LTD, page 5:
2 more examples
- The railways are fully alive to the position, and are sparing neither effort nor expense to provide more attractive trains and to effect economies, but in such circumstances some curtailment of services is inevitable.1958 May 23, “Railway Difficulties in the U.S.A.”, in Railway Magazine, page 296:
- Like many producers, she [Shonda Rhimes] is also alive to concerns over how AI tools will feed into the process of making TV.2025 September 13, Daniel Thomas, “Lunch with the FT: Shonda Rhimes”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3:
6
Sprightly; lively; brisk.
- Smouch, requesting Mr. Pickwick in a surly manner ‘to be as alive as he could, for it was a busy time,’ drew up a chair by the door and sat there, until he had finished dressing.1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “(please specify the chapter name)”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:
- Liverpool’s equaliser came within four minutes. James Milner swung the ball over from a corner on the right and Sadio Mané, Liverpool’s most dangerous player, was alive in the six-yard area.2018 May 26, Daniel Taylor, “Liverpool go through after Mohamed Salah stops Manchester City fightback”, in The Guardian (London):
7
Susceptible, sensitive; easy to impress; having keen feelings, as opposed to apathy.
- Though tremblingly alive to Nature's laws, Yet ever firm to Honour's sacred cause1762, William Falconer, The Shipwreck:
- This was a reproach to John, and a slur upon the dog; and both were alive to their misfortune.1887, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Pastoral”, in Memories and Portraits, New York: Charles Scribner, page 99:
1 more example
- Beedel raised his slow, meditative eyes and wondered for the hundredth time at the strangely alive expression in the gaze that really seemed to meet his own.1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
8
Emphatic, Intensifier Out of all living creatures.
- The Whitest Boy Alive
- The Earl of Northumberland 'was the proudest man alive' and 'was in all his deportment a very great man.1702, Edward Hyde Clarendon, The History of the Rebellion:
1 more example
- I'm the toughest girl alive / I walked through the fire and I survived.2000, Candye Kane, “The Toughest Girl Alive”:
9
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences Synonym of live.
- Synonyms
26 terms
alive and kicking, extant, vital, existing, frisky, peppy, zestful, energized, hot, live, ever, in the world, above ground, alive, alive and well, animate, animated, kicking, lively, livesome, living, quick, still with us, surviving, undeceased, vitalic- Antonyms
- dead
- Derived terms
35 terms
alive and kicking, alive and well, alive internet theory, alively, aliveness, born-alive, catch-'em-alive-O, Christ alive, come alive, dead-alive, dead-and-alive, dead or alive, eat someone alive, flay someone alive, for land's sake alive, for land's sakes alive, for the land's sake alive, for the land's sakes alive, keepalive, keep hope alive, land sake alive, land sakes alive, land's sake alive, land's sakes alive, look alive, man alive, mercy sake's alive, more dead than alive, nonalive, saints alive, sakes alive, skin someone alive, snakes alive, unalive, working alive