life, my

life, my
   Judging by the frequency with which this expression occurs in literature, it was once a common vocative used between lovers. The thought behind it seems to be ‘that which gives me cause for living’. The Oxford English Dictionary quotes a thirteenth century use of it in a religious context, addressed to Jesus Christ. In Shakespeare’s Cymbeline (5:v) occurs: ‘O Imogen! My Queen, my life, my wife!’ The Vicar of Wakefield. by Oliver Goldsmith, has Dr Primrose saying to his wife: ‘Let us have one bottle more, Deborah, my life.’ David Copperfield has the hero telling his loved one: ‘Dora, my own life, I am your ruined David.’ These passionate declarations may still be made in private, but they do not often find their way into modern literature.

A dictionary of epithets and terms of address . . 2015.

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  • Life- — Life …   Deutsch Wörterbuch

  • life — W1S1 [laıf] n plural lives [laıvz] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(time somebody is alive)¦ 2¦(state of being alive)¦ 3¦(way somebody lives)¦ 4¦(particular situation/job)¦ 5 social/personal/sex etc life 6¦(human existence)¦ 7¦(time when something exists/works)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • life — [ laıf ] (plural lives [ laıvz ] ) noun *** ▸ 1 time from birth to death ▸ 2 way of living, experience ▸ 3 state of being alive ▸ 4 living things ▸ 5 time something exists/lasts ▸ 6 activity/excitement ▸ 7 in games ▸ 8 life imprisonment ▸ +… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Life — (l[imac]f), n.; pl. {Lives} (l[imac]vz). [AS. l[imac]f; akin to D. lijf body, G. leib body, MHG. l[imac]p life, body, OHG. l[imac]b life, Icel. l[imac]f, life, body, Sw. lif, Dan. liv, and E. live, v. [root]119. See {Live}, and cf. {Alive}.] 1.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Life — • The enigma of life is still one of the two or three most difficult problems that face both scientist and philosopher Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Life     Life      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • life — [laɪf] noun lives PLURALFORM [laɪvz] [countable] 1. the period of time during which something takes place or exists: • industrial products used during the life of a mining operation • The rate of interest is often subsidized and fixed for the… …   Financial and business terms

  • life — or get a life [līf] n. pl. lives [ME < OE līf, akin to ON líf, life, Ger leib, body < IE base * leibh , to LIVE1] 1. that property or quality of plants and animals that distinguishes them from inorganic matter or dead organisms; specif.,… …   English World dictionary

  • life — life; life·boat·man; life·ful; life·less; life·less·ly; life·less·ness; life·like·ness; life·man; life·man·ship; life·rent·rix; life·some; life·ward; non·life; an·ti·life; life·world; mid·life; pre·life; …   English syllables

  • Life TV — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Life TV es una canal virtual ubicado en la comuna de San Miguel, Stgo que ofrece una variedad de programacion para todas las edades, Ocupa los primeros lugares de transmicion Life TV® Nombres oficiales Lifetv S.A.… …   Wikipedia Español

  • LIFE — (englisch für Leben) bezeichnet: Life (Magazin), amerikanische Magazine Life (Manga), japanische Manga Serie das Umwelt Förderprojekte der EU namens LIFE I III und LIFE+ den Originaltitel eines amerikanischen Films, siehe Lebenslänglich (Film)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • LIFE — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. {{{image}}}   Sigles d une seule lettre   Sigles de deux lettres   Sigles de trois lettres …   Wikipédia en Français

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