Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - life

 I. noun  (plural lives)  Etymology: Middle English lif, from Old English lif; akin to Old English libban to live — more at live  Date: before 12th century  1.  a. the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body  b. a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings  c. an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction  2.  a. the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual  b. one or more aspects of the process of living sex ~ of the frog  3. biography 1  4. spiritual existence transcending physical death  5.  a. the period from birth to death  b. a specific phase of earthly existence adult ~  c. the period from an event until death a judge appointed for ~  d. a sentence of imprisonment for the remainder of a convict's ~  6. a way or manner of living  7. livelihood  8. a vital or living being; specifically person many lives were lost in the disaster  9. an animating and shaping force or principle  10. spirit, animation saw no ~ in her dancing  11. the form or pattern of something existing in reality painted from ~  12. the period of duration, usefulness, or popularity of something the expected ~ of the batteries  13. the period of existence (as of a subatomic particle) — compare half-~  14. a property (as resilience or elasticity) of an inanimate substance or object resembling the animate quality of a living being  15. living beings (as of a particular kind or environment) forest ~  16.  a. human activities  b. animate activity and movement stirrings of ~  c. the activities of a given sphere, area, or time the political ~ of the country  17. one providing interest and vigor ~ of the party  18. an opportunity for continued viability gave the patient a new ~  19. capitalized, Christian Science god 1b  20. something resembling animate ~ a grant saved the project's ~  II. adjective  Date: 13th century  1. of or relating to animate being  2. ~long a ~ member  3. using a living model a ~ class  4. of, relating to, or provided by ~ insurance a ~ policy