Wiktionary

alive

English

edit

Etymology

edit

    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”).

    Pronunciation

    edit
    • IPA(key): /əˈlaɪv/
    • Audio (US):(file)
    • Audio (UK):(file)
    • Rhymes: -aɪv

    Adjective

    edit

    alive (comparative more alive, superlative most alive) (chiefly predicative)

    1. Having life; living; not dead.
      As long as the plant is alive, he will continue to water it.
    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.
    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.
      • 1925, Godfrey W. Mathews, The Chester Mystery Plays […] ., Liverpool: Edward Howell LTD, page 5:
        We may be sure that the Church would be alive to the dangers of allowing the plays to be performed outside the sacred edifice.
      • 1958 May, “Railway Difficulties in the U.S.A.”, in Railway Magazine, page 296:
        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.
      • 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:
        Like many producers, she [Shonda Rhimes] is also alive to concerns over how AI tools will feed into the process of making TV.
    6. Sprightly; lively; brisk.
      • 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:
        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.
      • 2018 May 26, Daniel Taylor, “Liverpool go through after Mohamed Salah stops Manchester City fightback”, in The Guardian (London)‎[1]:
        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.
    7. Susceptible, sensitive; easy to impress; having keen feelings, as opposed to apathy.
      • 1762, William Falconer, The Shipwreck:
        Though tremblingly alive to Nature's laws, Yet ever firm to Honour's sacred cause
      • 1887, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Pastoral”, in Memories and Portraits, New York: Charles Scribner, page 99:
        This was a reproach to John, and a slur upon the dog; and both were alive to their misfortune.
      • 1927, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados Mysteries:
        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.
    8. (intensifier) Out of all living creatures.
      The Whitest Boy Alive
      • 1702, Edward Hyde Clarendon, The History of the Rebellion:
        The Earl of Northumberland 'was the proudest man alive' and 'was in all his deportment a very great man.
      • 2000, Candye Kane, “The Toughest Girl Alive”:
        I'm the toughest girl alive / I walked through the fire and I survived.
    9. (programming) Synonym of live.

    Usage notes

    edit
    • Alive is almost always used as a predicative adjective: "The bee is alive". Attributively, the adjectives living or live may be used with a similar meaning. There are occasional exceptions to this, for example: "An alive man is better than a dead one," though this may be considered proscribed by some.

    Synonyms

    edit

    Antonyms

    edit

    Derived terms

    edit

    Translations

    edit
    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    References

    edit

    “alive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

    Anagrams

    edit

    Middle English

    edit

    Adjective

    edit

    alive

    1. alternative form of alyve
    Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=alive&oldid=90807777"