love
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Definition of love
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a(1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties maternal love for a child
(2): attraction based on sexual desire: affection and tenderness felt by lovers after all these years, they are still very much in love.
(3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests love for his old schoolmates
b: an assurance of affection give her my love
2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion to love of the sea
3a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration baseball was his first love
b(1): a beloved person: DARLING —often used as a term of endearment
(2)British —used as an informal term of address
4a: unselfish loyal and benevolent (see BENEVOLENT sense 1a) concern for the good of another: such as
(1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind
(2): brotherly concern for others
b: a person’s adoration of God
5: a god (such as Cupid or Eros) or personification of love
6: an amorous episode: LOVE AFFAIR
7: the sexual embrace: COPULATION
8: a score of zero (as in tennis)
9capitalized, Christian Science: GOD
at love
: holding one’s opponent scoreless in tennis
in love
: inspired by affection
love verb
loved; loving
Definition of love (Entry 2 of 2)
1: to hold dear: CHERISH
2a: to feel a lover’s passion, devotion, or tenderness for
b(1): CARESS
(2): to fondle amorously
(3): to copulate with
3: to like or desire actively: take pleasure in loved to play the violin
4: to thrive in the rose loves sunlight
: to feel affection or experience desire