Live vs Alive
The difference between live and alive may be a little confusing as both live and alive are words that have the same root ‘life’. So anything that has life, whether it is a plant, animal or human being is said to be alive. Live is a word that is used both as a verb as well as an adjective. Though the sense of both words in many situations is similar, they are basically different. This is precisely why nonnatives find it difficult to differentiate between these two words. This article aims to differentiate between live and alive, to remove all doubts.
What does Live mean?
Live means remain alive or not dead or animate. Look at the following sentences.
‘Live’ bait is used to hunt lions.
He is a live wire in the field.
The match is being telecasted live.
From the first sentence, it is clear that small animals that are alive are used to present to lion as bait and make him come out of the woods. However, never is the word alive used for bait. In the second sentence, the person being talked about is described as being electrifying or having extraordinary energy. The third sentence tells us that the match that we are watching is currently taking place, and we are getting current feed as action is taking place on the field. You must have even heard of proverbs such as live and let live which use the word live. Here the meaning of the proverb is ‘you must patiently bear the opinions and behaviours of others so that they will similarly tolerate your own.’
Live bait is used to hunt lions.
What does Alive mean?
Alive is a word used to describe the condition of patients and animals. It means living or not dead. Alive is an adjective. If you have doubts about a person being alive or dead, your friend confirms it saying that the person is indeed alive and kicking. Alive and kicking is an informal phrase used to say someone is still living and is active. In rescue missions, rescue officials shout to confirm if there is anyone alive and trapped in debris or any other life-threatening situation.
If a person is living but totally dissatisfied with his life and conditions surrounding him, he is described as living but not truly alive, which is described as a state of happiness and well-being.
Look at the following examples.
Is he alive?
She comes alive when she gets to read.
Those bushes are alive with mosquitoes.
In the first sentence, the word alive is used in the sense not dead or living. So, the question means ‘is he still living?’ In the second sentence, the word alive is used in the sense ‘alert and active; animated.’ This is according to the definitions of the Oxford English dictionary. In that sense, the sentence would mean ‘she becomes alert and active when she gets to read.’ In the third sentence, the word alive is used in the sense ‘swarming or teeming with.’ So, the meaning of the sentence is ‘those bushes are swarming with mosquitoes.’ That means those bushes are full of mosquitoes.
What is the difference between Live and Alive?
• Anyone having a life is described as alive, while live is used in different ways: to describe live bait, live telecast, and a person full of energy.
• There are many who live to eat, while there are others who eat to live. Both these categories of persons are living beings and alive though there is a vast difference between their levels of satisfaction from their lives.
• Alive means living or not dead.
• Live means remain alive or not dead or animate.
• Live is used as a verb as well as an adjective.
• Alive is used as an adjective only.