liven en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈlaɪvən/
Etymology
Partly from life + -en; partly from live (adjective) + -en; and partly a shortening of enliven. Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk livna (“to quicken, come alive”), Faroese livna (“to come to life, come alive”), Icelandic lifna (“to come to life”).
Meanings
-
(ambitransitive) To cause to be more lively, or to become more lively.
The fact of this made him realize he had a story. He livened. Father was washed overboard, Rupert said. He was going through the water like a duck.
2005, Michael Winter, The Big Why: A Novel:1979: The American School Board Journal, volume 166, no. 1, January 1979, published by the National School Boards Association, caption to an image in the May 1979 section Visiting professionals frequently liven the day at the Elm Creative Arts School.
Bacon's Rebellion (p. 54) has no political meaning for Mr. Bruce. Champlain's fight with the Iroquois is told to liven the narrative with a fight (p. 36), but the far-reaching result is merely hinted in a manner that means nothing to one who doesn't know. The ideals and purposes of the Jesuits are not mentioned.
1905, The American Historical Review, the American Historical Association, page 380:1958: Marco Polo, Ronald Latham (translator), The Travels of Marco Polo Instead of the picturesque fables* that liven the pages of ‘Sir John Mandeville’ and of many more authentic travellers, he gives us no less picturesque facts, and facts in great abundance.
Anacreon […] celebrated wine and love and must have been a rousing fellow. Probably he livened heaven when he arrived.
1997, David Nevin, 1812:[…] and he fought for others' banners, And he dined at others' tables, and he droned in others' hives, And he livened others' journeys, and he rhymed of others' tourneys, And he emptied others' flagons, and he flirted others' wives.
1930, Bim Sherman, The Century:[…] to invigorate and liven the spirits.
2003, Sarah Garland, The Herb Garden, page 69:Let's liven up this party!
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| livens | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| livening | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| livened | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| livened | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
exalt · stimulate · fire up · arouse · leaven · ginger up · jazz · cheer · beghast · liven · perk up · inspire · inflame · kindle · spice up · spice · awaken · bright · quicken · invigorate · enliven · inspirit · brighten · liven up · ginger · vitalise · energize · enthuse · animate · liven up · excite
Translations (4)
cs oživit (to become more lively) · bg оживявам се (to become more lively) · pl ożywić (to become more lively) · pl ożywiać (to become more lively)