Live vs. Living — What's the Difference?

Remain alive

Possessing life

Make one's home in a particular place or with a particular person

In active function or use

Not dead or inanimate; living

Of persons who are alive

Relating to a musical performance given in concert, not on a recording

Relating to the routine conduct or maintenance of life

(of a wire or device) connected to a source of electric current.

Full of life, interest, or vitality

(of a question or subject) of current or continuing interest and importance

True to life; realistic

As or at an actual event or performance

Still in place as part of a larger mass. Used especially of rock

To be alive; exist.

Having motion suggestive of life. Used especially of water

To continue to be alive

(Informal) Used as an intensive

To support oneself; subsist

The condition or action of maintaining life

To reside; dwell

A manner or style of life

To conduct one's life in a particular manner

A means of maintaining life; livelihood

To pursue a positive, satisfying existence; enjoy life

Chiefly British A church benefice, including the revenue attached to it.

To remain in human memory

Present participle of live

To spend or pass (one's life).

Having life; alive.

To go through; experience

In use or existing.

To practice in one's life

Of everyday life.

Having life; alive

True to life.

Of, related to, or occurring during the life of one that is living

Of rock or stone, existing in its original state and place.

Of current interest or relevance

Continually updated; not static

(Informal) Full of life, excitement, or activity; lively

Used as an intensifier.

Glowing; burning

(uncountable) The state of being alive.

Not yet exploded but capable of being fired

Financial means; a means of maintaining life; livelihood

(Electricity) Carrying an electric current or energized with electricity

A style of life.

Not mined or quarried; in the natural state

(canon law) A position in a church (usually the Church of England) that has attached to it a source of income; an ecclesiastical benefice.

Broadcast while actually being performed; not taped, filmed, or recorded

Being alive; having life; as, a living creature. Opposed to dead.

Involving performers or spectators who are physically present

Active; lively; vigorous; - said esp. of states of the mind, and sometimes of abstract things; as, a living faith; a living principle.

Of, relating to, or containing living bacteria or active viruses, sometimes in an attenuated form

Issuing continually from the earth; running; flowing; as, a living spring; - opposed to stagnant.

(Printing) Not yet set into type

Producing life, action, animation, or vigor; quickening.

(Sports) In play

Ignited; glowing with heat; burning; live.

At, during, or from the time of actual occurrence or performance

The state of one who, or that which, lives; lives; life; existence.

(intransitive) To be alive; to have life.

Manner of life; as, riotous living; penurious living; earnest living.

(intransitive) To have permanent residence somewhere, to inhabit, to reside.

Means of subsistence; sustenance; estate; as, to make a comfortable living from writing.

(of an object) to have its proper place; to normally be stored.

Power of continuing life; the act of living, or living comfortably.

(intransitive) To survive; to persevere; to continue.

The benefice of a clergyman; an ecclesiastical charge which a minister receives.

(intransitive) To endure in memory; to escape oblivion.

The experience of living; the course of human events and activities;

To cope.

People who are still living;

(intransitive) To pass life in a specified manner.

The condition of living or the state of being alive;

(transitive) To spend, as one's life; to pass; to maintain; to continue in, constantly or habitually.

The financial means whereby one lives;

(transitive) To act habitually in conformity with; to practice; to exemplify in one's way of life.

Pertaining to living persons;

To live as; to live being.

True to life; lifelike;

(intransitive) To outlast danger; to float (said of a ship, boat, etc).

Dwelling or inhabiting; often used in combination;

To maintain or support one's existence; to provide for oneself; to feed; to subsist.

(informal) absolute;

To make the most of life; to experience a full, rich life.

Still in existence;

(only used attributively) Having life; that is alive.

Still in active use;

Being in existence; actual.

(used of minerals or stone) in its natural state and place; not mined or quarried;

Having active properties; being energized.

Operational; in actual use rather than in testing etc.

(programming) Of an object or value: that may potentially be used in the future execution of a program.

Taken from a living animal.

(engineering) Imparting power; having motion.

(sports) Still in active play.

(card games) Of a card: not yet dealt or played.

(broadcasting) Being broadcast ("on the air"), as it happens.

(of a performance or speech) In person.

Recorded from a performance in front of an audience.

Of firearms or explosives, capable of causing harm.

Of an environment where sound is recorded: having noticeable reverberation.

(circuitry) Electrically charged or energized, usually indicating that the item may cause electrocution if touched.

(poker) Being a bet which can be raised by the bettor, usually in reference to a blind or straddle.

(film) Featuring humans; not animated, in the phrases “live actors” or “live action”.

Being in a state of ignition; burning.

(obsolete) Vivid; bright.

(slang)

(dated) Energetic, attentive, active.

Outstanding, top-notch, exhilarating.

Of an event, as it happens; in real time; direct.

Of making a performance or speech, in person.

To be alive; to have life; to have, as an animal or a plant, the capacity of assimilating matter as food, and to be dependent on such assimilation for a continuance of existence; as, animals and plants that live to a great age are long in reaching maturity.

To pass one's time; to pass life or time in a certain manner, as to habits, conduct, or circumstances; as, to live in ease or affluence; to live happily or usefully.

To make one's abiding place or home; to abide; to dwell; to reside; as, to live in a cottage by the sea.

To be or continue in existence; to exist; to remain; to be permanent; to last; - said of inanimate objects, ideas, etc.

To enjoy or make the most of life; to be in a state of happiness; as, people want not just to exist, but to live.

To feed; to subsist; to be nourished or supported; - with on; as, horses live on grass and grain.

To have a spiritual existence; to be quickened, nourished, and actuated by divine influence or faith.

To be maintained in life; to acquire a livelihood; to subsist; - with on or by; as, to live on spoils.

To outlast danger; to float; - said of a ship, boat, etc.; as, no ship could live in such a storm.

To spend, as one's life; to pass; to maintain; to continue in, constantly or habitually; as, to live an idle or a useful life.

To act habitually in conformity with; to practice.

Having life; alive; living; not dead.

Being in a state of ignition; burning; having active properties; as, a live coal; live embers.

Full of earnestness; active; wide awake; glowing; as, a live man, or orator.

Vivid; bright.

Imparting power; having motion; as, the live spindle of a lathe; live steam.

Connected to a voltage source; as, a live wire.

Being transmitted instantaneously, as events occur, in contrast to recorded.

Still in active play; - of a ball being used in a game; as, a live ball.

Pertaining to an entertainment event which was performed (and possibly recorded) in front of an audience; contrasted to performances recorded in a studio without an audience.

Life.

Make one's home or live in;

Lead a certain kind of life; live in a certain style;

Continue to live; endure or last;

Support oneself;

Have life, be alive;

Have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations;

Pursue a positive and satisfying existence;

Actually being performed at the time of hearing or viewing;

Showing characteristics of life; exerting force or containing energy;

Highly reverberant;

Charged with an explosive;

Rebounds readily;

Abounding with life and energy;

In current use or ready for use;

Of current relevance;

Charged or energized with electricity;

Having life;

Capable of erupting;

Not recorded;