life
noun uk/laɪf/ us/laɪf/ lives
A1 [ C or U ]寿命;生命;一生，人生;生活;性命
the period between birth and death, or the experience or state of being alive
Life's too short to worry about money! 人生短暂，何必为金钱而烦恼！
I'm not sure I want to spend the rest of my life with him. 我不能肯定自己是否愿意与他共度余生。
Unfortunately, accidents are part of life. 不幸的是，意外事故也是生活的一部分。
He went mad towards the end of his life. 他在生命走向终了时疯掉了。
Cats are supposed to have nine lives. 据说猫有九命。
He doesn't know what he really wants in/out of life. 他不知道自己在生活中真正想要的是什么。
The accident changed my whole outlook on life. 那场事故彻底改变了我对人生的看法。
He lost his life (= died suddenly because of a violent event or accident) in the Great War. 他在一战中丧生。
A simple mixture of glucose and water can save lives in many parts of the world. 在世界上很多地方，把葡萄糖和水混合在一起就可以用来拯救人的性命。
He ran off with her life savings (= all the money she had saved). 他带着她毕生的积蓄跑掉了。
See also: afterlifepro-life
B1 [ C or U ]生活方式;生活（的某一部分）
a way of living or a particular part of someone's life
her family/private/sex life 她的家庭／个人／性生活
my working life 我的职业生涯
We interviewed senior politicians, famous writers, and others in public life. 我们采访了资深政界人士、著名作家等公众人物。
Drugs and violence are deeply rooted in American life. 毒品和暴力在美国社会生活中已经根深蒂固。
I left home at 16 to see life (= have different experiences with a lot of people in lots of places). 我16岁离家出去闯荡世界。
Teaching has been her life (= the most important and enjoyable thing in her life). 教书已成为了她的生命。
C2 [ C usually singular ]寿命；存在周期；有效期
the period for which a machine or organization lasts
The newer batteries have a much longer life. 新一代电池的寿命要长得多。
Careful use will prolong the life of your machine. 小心使用会延长机器的寿命。
The legislation won't be passed during the life of the present parliament. 该项立法在当前议会的任期内不会获得通过。
[ U ]生命力，生气
the quality that makes people, animals, and plants different from objects, substances, and things that are dead
The doctor could find no sign of life in the old man's body. 医生发现老人已经没有了生命迹象。
figurative I looked through the window but I couldn't see any signs of life (= people moving). 我透过窗子向外望去，却看不到有任何人类活动的迹象。
B2 [ U ]活力，热情
energy or enthusiasm
She's so full of life. 她充满了活力。
B1 [ U ]活物，生物
everything that is alive
human/marine/plant life 人类／海洋生物／植物
[ U ] art specialized（绘画的）模特儿，实物
In art, if you work from life, you paint, draw, etc. real people or objects, usually while they are in front of you rather than from memory.
life drawing classes 写生课
[ C ] informal（尤指儿童游戏中的）一次机会;命
especially in children's games, one of the limited number of times that you can lose, but still continue playing
Every time the little man gets hit, you lose a life. 小人儿每被击中一次，你就丢了一条命。
bring something to life 赋予…生命，使…鲜活起来
to make something more real or exciting
It's always been an interesting period in history and this film really brought it to life. 这段历史总是令人饶有兴味，这部电影对此进行了真实的再现。
come to life 使更加实在；使更有生机
to become more real or exciting
The game really came to life in the second half. 比赛下半场有了生机。
for lifeC1 一生，终生
for the whole of a person's life
I believe marriage is for life. 我相信婚姻是一辈子的事情。
give your life(also lay down your life) 献出生命
to be willing to die in order to defend or support someone or something
They were ready to give their lives for their country. 他们已做好了为国捐躯的准备。
life after death 来世
If you believe in life after death, you believe that people continue to exist in some form after they die.
start a new life(also make a new life for yourself) 开始新的生活
to completely change how or where you live
She decided to start a new life in Australia. 她决定在澳大利亚开始新的生活。
- More examples
- She seems like a woman who is contented with her life.
- Your life changes dramatically when you have a baby.
- Her time at university was the most eventful period of her life.
- The new drug might help save the lives of cancer victims.
- It was only later in life that she found happiness and peace of mind.
Idioms More idioms
be (all) part of life's rich tapestry/pageantidiom 是生活的浪花，是生活的插曲
to be one of the difficult or bad experiences that is part of a full and interesting life
be one/another of life's great mysteriesidiom 令人不解的事，使人困惑的事
to be something that is very difficult to understand
It really is one of life's greatest mysteries why that awful restaurant is busy every night. 那家很糟糕的餐厅每天晚上生意都很好，真令人费解。
for the life of youidiom informal 虽然很努力
although you are trying very hard
I can't remember her name for the life of me. 我绞尽脑汁还是想不起她的名字。
get a life!idiom informal 真没意思！太无聊了！找点儿有意思的！
something you say to a boring person when you want them to do more exciting things
Don't tell me you're cleaning the house on a Saturday night? Get a life, Hannah! 别跟我说你周六晚上在打扫房间，汉娜，找点儿有意思的事！
give your life to somethingidiom 一心扑在…上，全身心投入到…中
to continue to have a close involvement in a particular thing for the whole of your life
She gave her life to cancer research. 她全身心地投入到癌症研究之中。
how's life (treating you)?idiom （非正式问候语）过得怎么样？
said as an informal greeting
lead/live the life of Rileyidiom old-fashioned informal 过着无忧无虑的生活，过着安逸的生活
to live an easy and comfortable life, without any need to work hard
the life and soul of the partyidiom （社交活动的）灵魂人物，中心人物
someone who is energetic and funny and at the centre of activity during social occasions
the man/woman in someone's lifeidiom informal （某人的）伴侣；（某人的）性伴侣
your romantic/sexual partner
Who's the new man in your life, eh? 谁是你生活中的新伴侣，嗯？
not on your life!idiom informal 休想！绝对不行！
said as a way of strongly refusing someone's suggestion or request
"So you're going to bring Kev, are you?" "Not on your life!" “你会把盖乌带来的，是不是？”“休想！”
scare/frighten the life out of someoneidiom 把（某人）吓得魂不附体
to frighten someone very much
the school/university of lifeidiom UK humorous 生活经历
all the bad and good experiences that you have and that you learn from; used especially to talk about someone who is wise but not highly educated
I learned my skills at the university of life. 我在生活中学会了这些技能。
take your (own) lifeidiom formal 自杀
to kill yourself
take someone's lifeidiom formal 杀掉（某人），取（某人）的性命
to kill someone
take your life in your handsidiom 拿性命去冒险，玩命
to do something that is very dangerous, especially where you risk death
Every time you go parachuting you're taking your life in your hands. 你每次去跳伞都是在拿性命冒险。
that's life!idiom informal 这就是生活，生活就是这样
said after something bad or unlucky has happened, to express your feeling that such events will sometimes happen and have to be accepted
No, I didn't get the job but that's life, isn't it? 不，我没得到那份工作，不过生活就是这样，对吧？
this is the life!idiom informal 太棒了！这才是生活！
said to mean that you are very much enjoying the situation you are in
to the lifeidiom old-fashioned 画得活灵活现的；栩栩如生的
If a picture or description is someone to the life, it is exactly like that person.
That sketch is Joanna to the life. 那幅素描把乔安娜画得活灵活现。