love

1. A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness. 2. A feeling of intense desire and attraction toward a person with whom one is disposed to make a pair; the emotion of sex and romance. 3. a. Sexual passion. b. Sexual intercourse. c. A love affair. 4. An intense emotional attachment, as for a pet or treasured object. 5. A person who is the object of deep or intense affection or attraction; beloved. Often used as a term of endearment. 6. An expression of one's affection: Send him my love. 7. a. A strong predilection or enthusiasm: a love of language. b. The object of such an enthusiasm: The outdoors is her greatest love. 8. Love Mythology Eros or Cupid. 9. often Love Christianity Charity. 10. Sports A zero score in tennis. v. loved, lov·ing, loves v.tr. 1. To have a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward (a person): We love our parents. I love my friends. 2. To have a feeling of intense desire and attraction toward (a person). 3. To have an intense emotional attachment to: loves his house. 4. a. To embrace or caress. b. To have sexual intercourse with. 5. To like or desire enthusiastically: loves swimming. 6. Theology To have charity for. 7. To thrive on; need: The cactus loves hot, dry air. v.intr. To experience deep affection or intense desire for another. Idioms: for love Out of compassion; with no thought for a reward: She volunteers at the hospital for love. for love or money Under any circumstances. Usually used in negative sentences: I would not do that for love or money. for the love of For the sake of; in consideration for: did it all for the love of praise. in love 1. Deeply or passionately enamored: a young couple in love. 2. Highly or immoderately fond: in love with Japanese painting; in love with the sound of her own voice. no love lost No affection; animosity: There's no love lost between them. [Middle English, from Old English lufu; see leubh- in Indo-European roots.] Synonyms: love, affection, devotion, fondness, infatuation These nouns denote feelings of warm personal attachment or strong attraction to another person. Love is the most intense: marrying for love. Affection is a less ardent and more unvarying feeling of tender regard: parental affection. Devotion is earnest, affectionate dedication and implies selflessness: teachers admired for their devotion to children. Fondness is strong liking or affection: a fondness for small animals. Infatuation is foolish or extravagant attraction, often of short duration: lovers blinded to their differences by their mutual infatuation.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin company. All rights reserved.