Life n.; pl. Lives
 1. The state of being which begins with generation, birth, or germination, and ends with death; also, the time during which this state continues; that state of an animal or plant in which all or any of its organs are capable of performing all or any of their functions; -- used of all animal and vegetable organisms.
 2. Of human beings: The union of the soul and body; also, the duration of their union; sometimes, the deathless quality or existence of the soul; as, man is a creature having an immortal life.
    She shows a body rather than a life.   --Shak.
 3. Philos. The potential principle, or force, by which the organs of animals and plants are started and continued in the performance of their several and cooperative functions; the vital force, whether regarded as physical or spiritual.
 4. Figuratively: The potential or animating principle, also, the period of duration, of anything that is conceived of as resembling a natural organism in structure or functions; as, the life of a state, a machine, or a book; authority is the life of government.
 5. A certain way or manner of living with respect to conditions, circumstances, character, conduct, occupation, etc.; hence, human affairs; also, lives, considered collectively, as a distinct class or type; as, low life; a good or evil life; the life of Indians, or of miners.
    That which before us lies in daily life.   --Milton.
    By experience of life abroad in the world.   --Ascham.
 Lives of great men all remind us
 We can make our lives sublime.   --Longfellow.
    'T is from high life high characters are drawn.   --Pope
 6. Animation; spirit; vivacity; vigor; energy.
    No notion of life and fire in fancy and in words.   --Felton.
    That gives thy gestures grace and life.   --Wordsworth.
 7. That which imparts or excites spirit or vigor; that upon which enjoyment or success depends; as, he was the life of the company, or of the enterprise.
 8. The living or actual form, person, thing, or state; as, a picture or a description from, the life.
 9. A person; a living being, usually a human being; as, many lives were sacrificed.
 10. The system of animal nature; animals in general, or considered collectively.
    Full nature swarms with life.   --Thomson.
 11. An essential constituent of life, esp: the blood.
    The words that I speak unto you . . . they are life.   --John vi. 63.
    The warm life came issuing through the wound.   --Pope
 12. A history of the acts and events of a life; a biography; as, Johnson wrote the life of Milton.
 13. Enjoyment in the right use of the powers; especially, a spiritual existence; happiness in the favor of God; heavenly felicity.
 14. Something dear to one as one's existence; a darling; -- used as a term of endearment.
 Note: ☞ Life forms the first part of many compounds, for the most part of obvious meaning; as, life-giving, life-sustaining, etc.
 Life annuity, an annuity payable during one's life.
 Life arrow, Life rocket, Life shot, an arrow, rocket, or shot, for carrying an attached line to a vessel in distress in order to save life.
 Life assurance. See Life insurance, below.
 Life buoy. See Buoy.
 Life car, a water-tight boat or box, traveling on a line from a wrecked vessel to the shore. In it person are hauled through the waves and surf.
 Life drop, a drop of vital blood. --Byron.
 Life estate Law, an estate which is held during the term of some certain person's life, but does not pass by inheritance.
 Life everlasting Bot., a plant with white or yellow persistent scales about the heads of the flowers, as Antennaria, and Gnaphalium; cudweed.
 Life of an execution Law, the period when an execution is in force, or before it expires.
 Life guard. Mil. See under Guard.
 Life insurance, the act or system of insuring against death; a contract by which the insurer undertakes, in consideration of the payment of a premium (usually at stated periods), to pay a stipulated sum in the event of the death of the insured or of a third person in whose life the insured has an interest.
 Life interest, an estate or interest which lasts during one's life, or the life of another person, but does not pass by inheritance.
 Life land Law, land held by lease for the term of a life or lives.
 Life line. (a) Naut. A line along any part of a vessel for the security of sailors. (b) A line attached to a life boat, or to any life saving apparatus, to be grasped by a person in the water.
 Life rate, rate of premium for insuring a life.
 Life rent, the rent of a life estate; rent or property to which one is entitled during one's life.
 Life school, a school for artists in which they model, paint, or draw from living models.
 Lifetable, a table showing the probability of life at different ages.
 To lose one's life, to die.
 To seek the life of, to seek to kill.
 To the life, so as closely to resemble the living person or the subject; as, the portrait was drawn to the life.
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 Guard, n.
 1. One who, or that which, guards from injury, danger, exposure, or attack; defense; protection.
    His greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft.   --Shak.
 2. A man, or body of men, stationed to protect or control a person or position; a watch; a sentinel.
    The guard which kept the door of the king's house.   --Kings xiv. 27.
 3. One who has charge of a mail coach or a railway train; a conductor. [Eng.]
 4. Any fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure against injury, soiling, or defacement, theft or loss; as: (a) That part of a sword hilt which protects the hand. (b) Ornamental lace or hem protecting the edge of a garment. (c) A chain or cord for fastening a watch to one's person or dress. (d) A fence or rail to prevent falling from the deck of a vessel. (e) An extension of the deck of a vessel beyond the hull; esp., in side-wheel steam vessels, the framework of strong timbers, which curves out on each side beyond the paddle wheel, and protects it and the shaft against collision. (f) A plate of metal, beneath the stock, or the lock frame, of a gun or pistol, having a loop, called a bow, to protect the trigger. (g) Bookbinding An interleaved strip at the back, as in a scrap book, to guard against its breaking when filled.
 5. A posture of defense in fencing, and in bayonet and saber exercise.
 6. An expression or admission intended to secure against objections or censure.
    They have expressed themselves with as few guards and restrictions as I.   --Atterbury.
 7. Watch; heed; care; attention; as, to keep guard.
 8. Zool. The fibrous sheath which covers the phragmacone of the Belemnites.
 Note: ☞ Guard is often used adjectively or in combination; as, guard boat or guardboat; guardroom or guard room; guard duty.
 Advanced guard, Coast guard, etc. See under Advanced, Coast, etc.
 Grand guard Mil., one of the posts of the second line belonging to a system of advance posts of an army. --Mahan.
 Guard boat. (a) A boat appointed to row the rounds among ships of war in a harbor, to see that their officers keep a good lookout. (b) A boat used by harbor authorities to enforce the observance of quarantine regulations.
 Guard cells Bot., the bordering cells of stomates; they are crescent-shaped and contain chlorophyll.
 Guard chamber, a guardroom.
 Guard detail Mil., men from a company regiment etc., detailed for guard duty.
 Guard duty Mil., the duty of watching patrolling, etc., performed by a sentinel or sentinels.
 Guard lock Engin., a tide lock at the mouth of a dock or basin.
 Guard of honor Mil., a guard appointed to receive or to accompany eminent persons.
 Guard rail Railroads, a rail placed on the inside of a main rail, on bridges, at switches, etc., as a safeguard against derailment.
 Guard ship, a war vessel appointed to superintend the marine affairs in a harbor, and also, in the English service, to receive seamen till they can be distributed among their respective ships.
 Life guard Mil., a body of select troops attending the person of a prince or high officer.
 Off one's guard, in a careless state; inattentive; unsuspicious of danger.
 On guard, serving in the capacity of a guard; doing duty as a guard or sentinel; watching.
 On one's guard, in a watchful state; alert; vigilant.
 To mount guard Mil., to go on duty as a guard or sentinel.
 To run the guard, to pass the watch or sentinel without leave.
 Syn: -- Defense; shield; protection; safeguard; convoy; escort; care; attention; watch; heed.
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