love: Meaning and Definition of

love

Pronunciation: (luv), [key]
— n., v., loved, lov•ing.
—n.
  1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
  2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
  3. sexual passion or desire.
  4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
  5. (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?
  6. a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.
  7. sexual intercourse; copulation.
  8. (cap.) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.
  9. affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbor.
  10. strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books.
  11. the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.
  12. the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.
  13. a score of zero; nothing.
  14. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.
  15. He took care of the poor for love.
    1. out of affection or liking; for pleasure.
    2. without compensation; gratuitously:He took care of the poor for love.
  16. in consideration of; for the sake of: For the love of mercy, stop that noise.
  17. infused with or feeling deep affection or passion: a youth always in love.
  18. feeling deep affection or passion for (a person, idea, occupation, etc.); enamored of: in love with the girl next door; in love with one's work.
    1. to embrace and kiss as lovers.
    2. to engage in sexual activity.
  19. dislike; animosity: There was no love lost between the two brothers.
—v.t.
  1. to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.
  2. to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).
  3. to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.
  4. to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.
  5. to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.
  6. to have sexual intercourse with.
—v.i.
  1. to have love or affection for another person; be in love.
  2. to hug and cuddle: She loves him up every chance she gets.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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