Love

(lŭv), n. [A-S. lufe, lufu, O. H. Ger. liubi, N. H. Ger. liebe, D. liefde.]

1Sense 1. The act of loving.

2Sense 2. An affection of the heart, excited by that which delights or commands admiration; pre-eminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; as, a mother's love.

Let mutual joys our mutual trust combine, And love and love-born confidence be thine. Pope.

3Sense 3. Courtship; chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e., to court; to woo; to solicit union in marriage.

4Sense 4. Especially, devoted attachment to one of the opposite sex.

He, . . . with looks of cordial love, Hung over her enamored. Milton.

5Sense 5. Fondness; satisfaction; devotion; — with of and an object; as, love of home, country, race, life, &c. “Smit with the love of sacred song.” Milton.

6Sense 6. The object of affection; — often employed in endearing address. “Trust me, love.” Dryden.

Open the temple gates unto my love. Spenser.

7Sense 7. Moral good-will; benevolence; kindness; charity. “Love is of God.” 1 John iv. 7.

Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John iv. 10.

8Sense 8. Cupid, the god of love.

Such was his form as painters, when they show Their utmost art, on naked Loves bestow. Dryden.

9Sense 9. A thin, silk stuff. [Obs.] Boyle.

Love is often used in the formation of compounds, in most of which the meaning is very obvious; as, love-bed, love-cracked, love-darting, love-killing, love-labored, love-learned, love-linked, love-longing, love-match, love-pined, love-quick, love-secret, love-slight, love-song, love-tale, love-taught, love-thought, love-token, love-toy, &c.

Free-of-love (Bot.), a plant of the genus Cercis. — Labor of love, a labor performed, or service voluntarily undertaken, in obedience to the dictates of affection or fondness, whether for the work itself or for the person for or in behalf of whom it is performed. — Of all loves, for the sake of all love; by all means. “Mrs. Arden desired him of all loves to come back again.” Holinshed. — To make love to, to express affection for; to woo. “If you will marry, make your loves to me.” Shak. — To play for love, to play a game, as at cards, without stakes.

Synonyms— Affection; friendship; kindness; tenderness; fondness; delight.

(lōv), v. t. [imp. & p. p. LOVED; p. pr. & vb. n. LOVING.] [A-S. lūfian, O. H. Ger. liuban, liupan, N. H. Ger. lieben, D. lieven, allied to Lat. libere, lubere, Skr. lubh, to desire. See LIEF.]

1Sense 1. To be pleased or delighted with; to be fond of; to like; to regard with affection on account of some qualities which excite pleasing sensations, or desire of gratification.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matt. xxii. 37.

2Sense 2. To have benevolence or good will toward; to exercise a moral regard for.

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Matt. xxii. 39.

3Sense 3. To delight in, with pre-eminent or exclusive affection.

v. i. To delight; to take pleasure; to exercise the affection of love; to be in love.