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| love [ luv ] |
verb (past and past participle loved, present participle lov·ing, 3rd person present singular loves) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb feel tender affection for somebody: to feel tender affection for somebody such as a close relative or friend, or for something such as a place, an ideal, or an animal
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2. transitive and intransitive verb feel desire for somebody: to feel romantic and sexual desire and longing for somebody
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3. transitive verb like something very much: to like something, or like doing, something very much
  I love watching old movies on TV.
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4. transitive verb show kindness to somebody: to feel and show kindness and charity to somebody
love your enemies
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5. transitive verb have sex with somebody: to have sexual intercourse with somebody
(
dated
)
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noun (plural loves) |
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| Definition: |
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1. passionate attraction and desire: a passionate feeling of romantic desire and sexual attraction
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2. very strong affection: an intense feeling of tender affection and compassion
Young children need unconditional love.
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3. romantic affair: a romantic affair, possibly sexual
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4. somebody much loved: somebody who is loved romantically or sexually
He was her first real love.
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5. strong liking: a strong liking for or pleasure gained from something
his love of music
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6. something eliciting enthusiasm: something that elicits deep interest and enthusiasm in somebody
Music was his greatest love but he also liked ballet.
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7. beloved: used as an affectionate word to somebody loved
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informal
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8. U.K. term of friendly address: used as a friendly term of address, usually to a woman
(
informal
)
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9. christianity God's love for humanity: in Christian belief, the mercy, grace, and charity shown by God to humanity
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10. christianity worship of God: in Christian belief, the worship and adoration of God
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11. sports leisure score of zero: a score of zero in some sports and games, e.g. tennis, squash, and whist
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| [ Old English lufian (verb) < lufu (noun) < Indo-European, "to love"] |
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for love nor money or for love or money used with a negative to indicate that something is quite impossible
You can't get a cab after midnight for love nor money.
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| Word Key: Synonyms |
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love, liking, affection, fondness, passion, infatuation, crush
CORE MEANING: a strong positive feeling toward somebody or something
love an intense feeling of positive emotion toward, or enjoyment of, a person or thing, especially strong romantic or sexual feelings between people;
When Lynn met Derek it was love at first sight.
He was mortally ill, but his strength of will and love of life were indomitable.
liking a feeling of enjoying something or or finding somebody or something pleasant;
He sipped his coffee, which was just to his liking.
She'd begun to develop a liking for Maurice.
affection fond or tender feelings toward somebody or something;
a man with a deep affection for the countryside
Fifteen-year-old boys don't usually welcome displays of affection.
fondness a feeling of affection or preference;
gazing with fondness at the two blond-headed little boys
He developed a fondness for music as a child.
passion intense or overpowering emotion, either love for somebody, usually of a strong sexual nature, or strong liking or enthusiasm for something;
Begun from sheer sexual passion, her marriage had quickly gone sour.
His great passion was mountaineering.
infatuation an intense but short-lived, often unrealistic love for somebody, usually of a romantic or sexual nature;
her infatuation with a young English poet
She had thought herself in love, but it had only been an infatuation.
crush (informal) a temporary romantic infatuation, especially in teenagers and young people;
I was a silly little girl of eleven with a schoolgirl crush on Martin. |
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