Definition

1. Noun:

   • A strong positive emotion of regard and affection: A deep feeling of warm personal attachment, care, and devotion.
   • A deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction: Romantic or passionate affection for someone.
   • A beloved person; a term of endearment: A person who is dearly loved.
   • Any object of warm affection or devotion: A great enthusiasm or liking for an activity, concept, or thing.
   • A score of zero in tennis or squash: Representing no points scored.
   • Sexual activities (often including sexual intercourse): Acts of physical intimacy.

2. Verb:

   • To have a great affection or liking for: To feel deep affection or fondness for a person, thing, or activity.
   • To be enamored or in love with: To feel romantic or passionate love for someone.
   • To get pleasure from: To enjoy or take delight in something.
   • To have sexual intercourse with: (Formal/archaic) To engage in a sexual act with someone.

Examples

• Noun:

  • His love for his children is unconditional.
  • She wrote a poem about her first love.
  • "Come here, my love," she said to her daughter.
  • His love for painting began in childhood.
  • The score is fifteen-love.
  • The film explores themes of love and betrayal.

• Verb:

  • I love my family deeply.
  • He loves her and wants to marry her.
  • I love walking in the rain.
  • She loves classical music.

Advanced Usage

• "To be in love (with)": To experience romantic love for someone.

  • They have been in love since high school.

• "To fall in love (with)": To begin to experience romantic love for someone.

  • He fell in love with her smile.

• "To make love (to)": To engage in sexual intercourse (with someone).

  • The couple made love for the first time on their wedding night.

• "For the love of...": Used to express exasperation or to indicate the reason for an action is a deep care for something.

  • For the love of God, please be quiet!
  • He does this job for the love of art, not the money.

Variants and Related Words

• Lover (n): A partner in a sexual or romantic relationship outside marriage; or a person who enjoys a specified thing. (e.g., ).
• Loving (adj): Feeling or showing love or great care. (e.g., ).
• Loveless (adj): Without love. (e.g., ).
• Lovely (adj): Exquisitely beautiful; or very pleasant. (e.g., , ).
• Beloved (adj/n): Deeply loved; a much loved person.

Synonyms

• Noun: Affection, adoration, fondness, devotion, passion, infatuation, darling, dear, zero.
• Verb: Adore, cherish, treasure, be fond of, enjoy, relish.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Love up (informal): To hug, kiss, or caress affectionately.
  • She loves up her dog every time she comes home.

Related Idioms

• Labour of love: A task done for pleasure, not reward.

  • Restoring the old car was a labour of love for him.

• Love is blind: People in love do not see the faults of the person they love.

  • He thinks she's perfect, but love is blind.

• No love lost (between): Used to indicate mutual dislike.

  • There's no love lost between the two rival managers.

• For love or money: By any means whatsoever (used in negative contexts).

  • You can't find a taxi for love or money in this rain.

• Play for love: To play a game for enjoyment, not for money or high stakes.

  • We're just playing cards for love tonight.

Verb

1. have sexual intercourse with
   • This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm
   • Adam knew Eve
   • Were you ever intimate with this man?
2. be enamored or in love with
   • She loves her husband deeply
3. get pleasure from
   • I love cooking
4. have a great affection or liking for
   • I love French food
   • She loves her boss and works hard for him

Noun

1. sexual activities (often including sexual intercourse) between two people
   • his lovemaking disgusted her
   • he hadn't had any love in months
   • he has a very complicated love life
2. a score of zero in tennis or squash
   • it was 40 love
3. a deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction
   • their love left them indifferent to their surroundings
   • she was his first love
4. a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
5. any object of warm affection or devotion;
   • the theater was her first love
   • he has a passion for cock fighting
6. a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
   • his love for his work
   • children need a lot of love