life preserver
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to a son or daughter after they die —life peerage n → see also Cultural Note at ARISTOCRACY and Feature on page A20
There are two types of peer in the House of Lords: life peers and HEREDITARY PEERS. The Government chooses people to become life peers, based on their special legal, political, or social experience: → see also Cultural Note at ARISTOCRACY
'life pre,server n especially AmE a life-saving apparatus, such as a LIFE BELT or LIFE JACKET
lif·er /'laɪfər/ n slang a person who has been sent to prison for life → see also LIFE
'life raft n a RAFT¹
life-sav·er /'laɪfsevər/ n 1 someone or something that saves life or prevents difficulty 2 something that comes just in time to save one from a difficult or unpleasant situation: A cup of strong black coffee can be a real lifesaver at times.
'Life ,Saver trademark a type of small hard round US sweet with a hole in the middle, which is produced in many different FLAVOURS (=types of taste). A similar sweet is called Polo in the UK.
life-sav·ing /'laɪfsevɪŋ/ n [U] the skills necessary to protect or save someone from drowning, such as excellent swimming, carrying a drowning person through the water, and MOUTH-TO-MOUTH RESUSCITATION: You have to know lifesaving to apply for this job as a lifeguard. → compare FIRST AID
,life 'savings n [P] all the money which a person who is not very rich has managed to save during their life: Thieves broke in and stole her life savings.
,life 'sciences n [P] also ,life 'science n [C;U] — a group of subjects studied at university, and concerned with plants, animals, and the human race
,life 'sentence n a prison SENTENCE for a long period of time which is not fixed. In Britain, people are not punished by death, so a life sentence is given for murder or other violent crimes.
'life-size also 'life-sized adj (of a work of art) of the same size as what it represents: a life-sized statue of the president
life-span /'laɪfspæn/ n the average length of life of a sort of animal or plant or the time for which a material object will last: Men have a shorter lifespan than women. | These nuclear reactors have a pretty short lifespan. → compare LIFETIME
'life ,story n the story of someone's whole life: I don't know why she needed to tell me her whole life story.
life-style /'laɪfstail/ n a way of living, including the kind of home one lives in, the things one owns, the kind of job one does, and the LEISURE activities one enjoys: the luxurious lifestyle of a Hollywood star
,life sup'port ,system n 1 a piece of equipment which keeps a person alive when they are seriously ill 2 a piece of equipment which keeps a person alive when they are in a place where people cannot live in the usual way, e.g. in space 3 a natural system which is necessary for life to continue, for example the process that produces OXYGEN for people to breathe
,life's 'work also ,life 'work n [U] an achievement for which someone has worked very hard for most of their life because they think it is very important: The freeing of the slaves was his life's work.
life-time /'laɪftaɪm/ n the time during which a person is alive or a machine, organization etc continues to exist: I doubt if there will be a female Pope in my lifetime. | the opportunity/chance of a lifetime → compare LIFESPAN
'life vest n [C] AmE a LIFE JACKET
Lif·fey, the /'lɪfi/ a river in the Republic of Ireland which flows through Dublin. It is said that the best Guinness (=a dark Irish beer) is made using water from the Liffey.
lift¹ /lɪft/ v 1 [T(UP)] to bring from a lower to a higher level; raise: I can't lift this bag – it's too heavy. | If you lift up the chair I'll clean the carpet underneath it. | He was too weak even to lift his hand. | (fig.) She lifted her eyes (=looked up) from the book. | (fig.) The good news lifted my spirits. 2 [I] (of movable parts) to be able to be lifted: The top of this box won't lift (off). 3 [T+obj+adv/prep] to take hold of and move to a higher or lower place or position: I lifted the child down from the tree. | She lifted the baby out of the cot. 4 [I] (especially of low clouds, mist etc) to move upwards or disappear; DISPERSE: The plane will take off once the fog has lifted. 5 [T+obj+adv/prep] to carry by air; AIRLIFT 6 [T] to bring to an end; remove; RESCIND: to lift an embargo/a ban 7 [T] infml, usually derog to take and use (other people's ideas, writings etc) as one's own without stating that one has done so; PLAGIARIZE: All his main ideas in this article are lifted from other works. 8 [T] infml to steal (especially something small) → see also SHOPLIFT 9 [T] tech to dig up (vegetables that grow under the ground, or plants): lifting potatoes 10 [T(UP)] lit to make (the voice) loud, e.g. in singing → see also lift a finger (FINGER¹)
lift off phr v [I] (of an aircraft or spacecraft) to leave the ground; TAKE OFF → see also LIFT-OFF
lift² n 1 [C] an act of lifting: One more lift and it's up! 2 [C] BrE || elevator AmE — an apparatus in a building for taking people and goods from one floor to another: He pressed the button to call the lift. | He took the lift to the 14th floor. | the hotel lift 3 [C] a free ride in a private vehicle: Can I give you a lift home? 4 [C;U] a lifting force, such as an upward pressure of air on the wings of an aircraft 5 [S] infml a feeling of increased strength, cheerfulness etc: Passing the exam gave me a real lift. 6 [C] any of various types of equipment for lifting
'lift-off n [C;U] the start of the flight of a spacecraft; TAKEOFF → see also lift off (LIFT¹)
lig·a·ment /'lɪɡəmənt/ n any of the strong bands in the body that join bones or hold some part of the body in position: He tore a ligament playing football.
lig·a·ture /'lɪɡətʃər/ n fml or tech something used for tying, especially a thread used for tying a BLOOD VESSEL to prevent loss of blood
light¹ /laɪt/ n 1 [U] the natural force that takes away darkness, so that objects can be seen: sunlight | gaslight | firelight | She worked by the light of a candle/the moon. | Have you got enough light to read (by)? | The light isn't good/strong enough to take a photograph. | The lake was bathed in the soft (=not very bright or strong) light of the moon. | I must finish this painting while the light lasts. (=before the darkness of evening starts to come) | Come over into the light (=an area that is not dark) where I can see you. 2 [C] a) something that produces light and allows other things to be seen, such as a lamp or TORCH: Turn off/Switch off the lights when you go to bed. | Shine your light over here, please. | The lights went down (=gradually became less bright) and the performance began. | the neon lights of the city b) a TRAFFIC LIGHT: The lights are changing (to red); you'd better stop. 3 [U] the path by which a supply of light reaches a person: I can't read while you're standing in my light. 4 [S;U] (something that will cause) burning: Have you got/Can you give me a light, please? (=please provide me with a match, cigarette lighter etc to make my cigarette etc burn) | The candle fell over and set light to the warehouse. 5 [C] tech a window or other opening in a roof or wall that allows light into a room 6 [S;U] brightness, especially in the eyes, showing happiness or excitement 7 [C usually sing.;U] the bright part of a painting or photograph: light and shade 8 [U] the condition of being or becoming known: Some new information has come to light about the accident. 9 [S] fml the way in which something or someone appears or is regarded: The workers and the employers see the situation in quite a different light. | This incident seems to show the company in a bad light. (=in an unfavourable way) 10 [U] lit or fml (something that provides) knowledge, understanding, or explanation: the light of truth | Does this information throw/shed any light on the problem? 11 according to one's own lights fml or lit with regard to one's own personal opinions or ideas of right and wrong 12 in the light of BrE || in light of AmE — taking into account; considering: I wanted to hold the meeting today, but in the light of the changed circumstances it had better be postponed. 13 (to go) out like a light infml (to fall) deeply asleep or unconscious 14 let there be light (and there was light) a phrase from the Bible used by God when creating light in the world, now used humorously to ask for light or when a light is put on 15 light at the end of the tunnel signs of the end of something which has been difficult or unpleasant: The project has been going on for months but at last we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 16 the