love
noun \ˈləv\
: a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person
: attraction that includes sexual desire : the strong affection felt by people who have a romantic relationship
: a person you love in a romantic way
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with Q and no U »
with Q and no U »
Full Definition of LOVE
1
a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties <maternal love for a child>(2) : attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3) : affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests <love for his old schoolmates>
b : an assurance of affection <give her my love>
2
: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion <love of the sea>
3
a : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration <baseball was his first love>
b (1) : a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2) British —used as an informal term of address
4
a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others
b : a person's adoration of God
5
: a god or personification of love
6
: an amorous episode : love affair
7
: the sexual embrace : copulation
8
: a score of zero (as in tennis)
9
capitalized Christian Science : god
— at love
: holding one's opponent scoreless in tennis
— in love
: inspired by affection
See love defined for English-language learners
See love defined for kids
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Examples of LOVE
- Children need unconditional love from their parents.
- He was just a lonely man looking for love.
- Mr. Brown seems to imply that when he retired he relinquished her love as casually as he dispensed with her secretarial services. —Ken Follett, New York Times Book Review, 27 Dec. 1987
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Origin of LOVE
Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German luba love, Old English lēof dear, Latin lubēre, libēre to please
First Known Use: before 12th century
Related to LOVE
- Synonyms
- affection, attachment, devotedness, devotion, fondness, passion
- Antonyms
- abomination, hate, hatred, loathing, rancor
2love
verb \ˈləv\
: to feel great affection for (someone) : to feel love for (someone)
: to feel sexual or romantic love for (someone)
: to like or desire (something) very much : to take great pleasure in (something)
lovedlov·ing
Full Definition of LOVE
transitive verb
1
: to hold dear : cherish
2
3
: to like or desire actively : take pleasure in <loved to play the violin>
4
: to thrive in <the rose loves sunlight>
intransitive verb
: to feel affection or experience desire
See love defined for English-language learners
Examples of LOVE
- She obviously loves her family very much.
- You have to love in order to be loved.
- He swore that he loved her madly.
- She said she could never marry a man she didn't love.
- People loved him for his brashness and talent, his crazy manglings of the English language, his brawling, boyish antics … and I loved him, too, I loved him as much as anyone in the world. —Paul Auster, Granta, Winter 1994
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Origin of LOVE
(see 1love)
First Known Use: before 12th century
LOVE Defined for Kids
1love
noun \ˈləv\
Definition of LOVE for Kids
1
: strong and warm affection (as of a parent for a child)
2
: a great liking <a love for reading>
3
: a beloved person
2love
verb
lovedlov·ing
Definition of LOVE for Kids
1
: to feel strong affection for <He loves his family.>
2
: to like very much <She loves to ski.>
— lov·er noun
