Word Study
lively
CIDE DICTIONARY
lively, a. [For lifely. Cf. Lifelike.].
- Endowed with or manifesting life; living. [1913 Webster]"Chaplets of gold and silver resembling lively flowers and leaves." [1913 Webster]
- Brisk; vivacious; active; as, a lively youth. [1913 Webster]"But wherefore comes old Manoa in such haste,
With youthful steps ? Much livelier than erewhile
He seems." [1913 Webster] - Gay; airy; animated; spirited. [1913 Webster]"From grave to gay, from lively to severe." [1913 Webster]
- Representing life; lifelike. [1913 Webster]"I spied the lively picture of my father." [1913 Webster]
- Bright; vivid; glowing; strong; vigorous. [1913 Webster]"The colors of the prism are manifestly more full, intense, and lively that those of natural bodies." [1913 Webster]"His faith must be not only living, but lively too." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Brisk; vigorous; quick; nimble; smart; active; alert; sprightly; animated; spirited; prompt; earnest; strong; energetic; vivid; vivacious; blithe; gleeful; airy; gay; jocund.
lively, adv.
- In a brisk, active, or animated manner; briskly; vigorously. Hayward. [1913 Webster]
- With strong resemblance of life. [1913 Webster]"Thou counterfeitest most lively." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
lively, adj.
1 full of life; vigorous, energetic.
2 brisk (a lively pace).
3 vivid, stimulating (a lively discussion).
4 vivacious, jolly, sociable.
5 joc. exciting, dangerous, difficult (the press is making things lively for them).
6 (of a colour) bright and vivid.
7 lifelike, realistic (a lively description).
8 (of a boat etc.) rising lightly to the waves.
1 full of life; vigorous, energetic.
2 brisk (a lively pace).
3 vivid, stimulating (a lively discussion).
4 vivacious, jolly, sociable.
5 joc. exciting, dangerous, difficult (the press is making things lively for them).
6 (of a colour) bright and vivid.
7 lifelike, realistic (a lively description).
8 (of a boat etc.) rising lightly to the waves.
Derivative
livelily adv. liveliness n.
Etymology
OE liflic (as LIFE, -LY(1))
THESAURUS
lively
ablaze, active, actively, activist, activistic, acute, adaptable, adaptive, afire, aggressive, agile, agog, alacritous, alert, alive, all agog, all out, allegretto, allegro, animate, animated, animatedly, antic, anxious, ardent, astir, avid, blithe, boiling over, bouncing, bouncy, breakneck, breathless, breezily, breezy, bright, brilliant, brisk, briskly, bubbly, buoyant, burning, bursting to, bustling, busy, cant, capersome, catty, cheerful, cheery, chipper, chirk, chirping, chirpy, chirrupy, cock-a-hoop, coltish, cordial, curried, dashing, delirious, desirous, double-quick, drunk, dynamic, eager, eagle-winged, ebullient, effervescent, elastic, energetic, energetically, enterprising, enthusiastic, eventful, excited, exciting, expansive, expeditious, express, extensile, exuberant, fast, febrile, fervent, fervid, fevered, feverish, fiery, flaming, fleet, flexible, flexile, flushed, flying, forceful, forcible, forward, frisky, frolicsome, full of beans, full of go, full of life, full of pep, full tilt, galloping, gamesome, gay, gleeful, glowing, go-go, gorgeous, hair-trigger, hasty, headlong, hearty, heated, high-seasoned, hilarious, hot, hot as pepper, hustling, impassioned, impatient, impetuous, in full swing, incisive, intense, interesting, intoxicated, inviting, jocund, jolly, juicy, keen, kinetic, light of heel, light-footed, live, living, lusty, mercurial, merry, mettlesome, militant, mirthful, nimble, nimble-footed, nippy, on fire, panting, passionate, peart, peppery, peppy, perky, pert, piquant, playful, poignant, pointed, popping, precipitate, prompt, provocative, provoking, pungent, quick, quick as lightning, quick as thought, quicksilver, racy, rapid, raring to, readable, ready, ready and willing, reckless, red-hot, resilient, responsive, rich, robust, rollicking, rollicksome, rompish, rousing, running, seasoned, skittish, smacking, snappy, spanking, sparkling, speedy, spiced, spicy, spirited, spiritedly, sportive, sprightly, springy, spry, steaming, steamy, stimulating, stirring, strenuous, stretch, stretchable, stretchy, strong, succulent, swarming, swift, take-charge, take-over, tangy, tantalizing, teeming, thought-challenging, thought-inspiring, thought-provoking, tickling, titillating, trenchant, unrestrained, vibrant, vigorous, vital, vivacious, vivaciously, vivid, volatile, warm, winged, with a kick, zealous, zestful, zesty, zingy, zippyROGET THESAURUS
lively
Vigor
N vigor, power, force, boldness, raciness, intellectual, force, spirit, point, antithesis, piquance, piquancy, verve, glow, fire, warmth, strong language, gravity, sententiousness, elevation, loftiness, sublimity, eloquence, command of words, command of language, vigorous, nervous, powerful, forcible, trenchant, incisive, impressive, sensational, spirited, lively, glowing, sparkling, racy, bold, slashing, pungent, piquant, full of point, pointed, pithy, antithetical, sententious, lofty, elevated, sublime, eloquent, vehement, petulant, impassioned, poetic, in glowing terms, in good set terms, in no measured terms, thoughts that breath and words that burn.Activity
N activity, briskness, liveliness, animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy, snap, vim, nimbleness, agility, smartness, quickness, velocity, alacrity, promptitude, despatch, dispatch, expedition, haste, punctuality, eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum aingenium, empressement, earnestness, intentness, abandon, vigor, devotion, exertion, industry, assiduity, assiduousness, sedulity, laboriousness, drudgery, painstaking, diligence, perseverance, indefatigation, habits of business, vigilance, wakefulness, sleeplessness, restlessness, insomnia, pervigilium, insomnium, racketing, movement, bustle, stir, fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness, flurry, officiousness, dabbling, meddling, interference, interposition, intermeddling, tampering with, intrigue, press of business, no sinecure, plenty to do, many irons in the fire, great doings, busy hum of men, battle of life, thick of the action, housewife, busy bee, new brooms, sharp fellow, sharp blade, devotee, enthusiast, zealot, meddler, intermeddler, intriguer, busybody, pickthank, hummer, hustler, live man, rustler, active, brisk, brisk as a lark, brisk as a bee, lively, animated, vivacious, alive, alive and kicking, frisky, spirited, stirring, nimble, nimble as a squirrel, agile, light-footed, nimble-footed, featly, tripping, quick, prompt, yare, instant, ready, alert, spry, sharp, smart, fast, quick as a lamplighter, expeditious, awake, broad awake, go-ahead, live wide-awake, forward, eager, strenuous, zealous, enterprising, in earnest, resolute, industrious, assiduous, diligent, sedulous, notable, painstaking, intent, indefatigable, unwearied, unsleeping, never tired, plodding, hard-working, businesslike, workaday, bustling, restless, restless as a hyena, fussy, fidgety, pottering, busy, busy as hen with one chicken, working, at work, on duty, in harness, up in arms, on one's legs, at call, up and doing, up and stirring, busy, occupied, hard at work, hard at it, up to one's ears in, full of business, busy as a bee, busy as a one-armed paperhanger, meddling, meddlesome, pushing, officious, overofficious, intrigant, astir, stirring, agoing, afoot, on foot, in full swing, eventful, on the alert, actively, with life and spirit, with might and main &c, with haste, with wings, full tilt, in mediis rebus, Int, be alive, look alive, look sharp!, move on, push on!, keep moving!, go ahead!, stir your stumps!, age quod agis!, jaldi!, karo!, step lively!, carpe diem, seize the day, nulla dies sine linea, nec mora nec requies, the plot thickens, No sooner said than done, veni vidi vici, catch a weasel asleep, abends wird der Faule fleissig, dictum ac factum, schwere Arbeit in der Jugend ist sanfte Ruhe im Al, hard work in youth means soft rest in age, the busy hum of men.Instantaneity
N instantaneity, instantaneousness, immediacy, suddenness, abruptness, moment, instant, second, minute, twinkling, trice, flash, breath, crack, jiffy, coup, burst, flash of lightning, stroke of time, epoch, time, time of day, time of night, hour, minute, very minute, very time, very hour, present time, right time, true time, exact correct time, instantaneous, momentary, sudden, immediate, instant, abrupt, discontinuous, precipitous, precipitant, precipitate, subitaneous, hasty, quick as thought, quick as lightning, quick as a flash, rapid as electricity, speedy, quick, fast, fleet, swift, lively, blitz, rapid (velocity), instantaneously, in no time, in less than no time, presto, subito, instanter, suddenly, at a stroke, like a shot, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, in the twinkling of an eye, in a trice, in one's tracks, right away, toute a l'heure, at one jump, in the same breath, per saltum, uno saltu, at once, all at once, plump, slap, at one fell swoop, at the same instant, immediately, extempore, on the moment, on the spot, on the spur of the moment, no sooner said than done, just then, slap-dash, touch and go, no sooner said than done.Feeling
N feeling, suffering, endurance, tolerance, sufferance, supportance, experience, response, sympathy, impression, inspiration, affection, sensation, emotion, pathos, deep sense, warmth, glow, unction, gusto, vehemence, fervor, fervency, heartiness, cordiality, earnestness, eagerness, empressement, gush, ardor, zeal, passion, enthusiasm, verve, furore, fanaticism, excitation of feeling, fullness of the heart, passion, ecstasy, blush, suffusion, flush, hectic, tingling, thrill, turn, shock, agitation, quiver, heaving, flutter, flurry, fluster, twitter, tremor, throb, throbbing, pulsation, palpitation, panting, trepidation, perturbation, ruffle, hurry of spirits, pother, stew, ferment, state of excitement, feeling, sentient, sensuous, sensorial, sensory, emotive, emotional, of feeling, with feeling, warm, quick, lively, smart, strong, sharp, acute, cutting, piercing, incisive, keen, keen as a razor, trenchant, pungent, racy, piquant, poignant, caustic, impressive, deep, profound, indelible, deep felt, home felt, heartfelt, swelling, soul-stirring, deep-mouthed, heart-expanding, electric, thrilling, rapturous, ecstatic, earnest, wistful, eager, breathless, fervent, fervid, gushing, passionate, warm-hearted, hearty, cordial, sincere, zealous, enthusiastic, glowing, ardent, burning, red-hot, fiery, flaming, boiling over, pervading, penetrating, absorbing, rabid, raving, feverish, fanatical, hysterical, impetuous, impressed with, moved with, touched with, affected with, penetrated with, seized with, imbued with, devoured by, wrought up, struck all of a heap, rapt, in a quiver, enraptured, heart and soul, from the bottom of one's heart, ab imo pectore, at heart, con amore, heartily, devoutly, over head and ears, head over heels, the heart big, the heart full, the heart swelling, the heart beating, the heart pulsating, the heart throbbing, the heart thumping, the heart beating high, the heart melting, the heart overflowing, the heart bursting, the heart breaking, the heart goes out, a heart as big as all outdoors (sympathy).Sensibility
N sensibility, sensibleness, sensitiveness, moral sensibility, impressibility, affectibility, susceptibleness, susceptibility, susceptivity, mobility, vivacity, vivaciousness, tenderness, softness, sentimental, sentimentality, sentimentalism, excitability, fastidiousness, physical sensibility, sore point, sore place, where the shoe pinches, sensible, sensitive, impressible, impressionable, susceptive, susceptible, alive to, impassionable, gushing, warm hearted, tender hearted, soft hearted, tender as a chicken, soft, sentimental, romantic, enthusiastic, highflying, spirited, mettlesome, vivacious, lively, expressive, mobile, tremblingly alive, excitable, oversensitive, without skin, thin-skinned, fastidious, sensibly, to the quick, to the inmost core, mens aequa in arduis, pour salt in the wound.Cheerfulness
N cheerfulness, geniality, gayety, l'allegro, cheer, good humor, spirits, high spirits, animal spirits, flow of spirits, glee, high glee, light heart, sunshine of the mind, sunshine of the breast, gaiete de coeur, bon naturel, liveliness, life, alacrity, vivacity, animation, allegresse, jocundity, joviality, jollity, levity, jocularity, mirth, merriment, hilarity, exhilaration, laughter, merrymaking, heyday, rejoicing, marriage bell, nepenthe, Euphrosyne, sweet forgetfulness, optimism, self complacency, hedonics, hedonism, cheerful, happy, cheery, cheerly, of good cheer, smiling, blithe, in spirits, in good spirits, breezy, bully, chipper, in high spirits, in high feather, happy as the day is long, happy as a king, gay as a lark, allegro, debonair, light, lightsome, light hearted, buoyant, debonnaire, bright, free and easy, airy, janty, jaunty, canty, hedonic, riant, sprightly, sprightful, spry, spirited, spiritful, lively, animated, vivacious, brisk as a bee, sparkling, sportive, full of play, full of spirit, all alive, sunny, palmy, hopeful, merry as a cricket, merry as a grig, merry as a marriage bell, joyful, joyous, jocund, jovial, jolly as a thrush, jolly as a sandboy, blithesome, gleeful, gleesome, hilarious, rattling, winsome, bonny, hearty, buxom, playful, playsome, folatre, playful as a kitten, tricksy, frisky, frolicsome, gamesome, jocose, jocular, waggish, mirth loving, laughter-loving, mirthful, rollicking, elate, elated, exulting, jubilant, flushed, rejoicing, cock-a-hoop, cheering, inspiriting, exhilarating, cardiac, cardiacal, pleasing, palmy, cheerfully, Int, never say die!, come!, cheer up!, hurrah!, hence loathed melancholy!, begone dull care!, away with melancholy!, a merry heart goes all the day, as merry as the day is long, ride si sapis.Life
N life, vitality, viability, animation, vital spark, vital flame, soul, spirit, respiration, wind, breath of life, breath of one's nostrils, oxygen, air, respirator, artificial respirator, heart and lung machine, iron lung, medical devices, lifeblood, Archeus, existence, vivification, vital force, vitalization, revivification, Prometheus, life to come, physiology, biology, animal ecology, nourishment, staff of life, genetics, heredity, inheritance, evolution, natural selection, reproduction (production), microbe, aerobe, anaerobe, facultative anaerobe, obligate aerobe, obligate anaerobe, halophile, methanogen, archaebacteria, microaerophile, animal, vegetable, artificial life, robot, robotics, artificial intelligence, breathing, breathing rate, heartbeat, pulse, temperature, preservation of life, healing (medicine), living, alive, in life, in the flesh, in the land of the living, on this side of the grave, above ground, breathing, quick, animated, animative, lively, all alive and kicking, tenacious of life, full of life, yeasty, vital, vitalic, vivifying, vivified viable, zoetic, Promethean, vivendi causa, atqui vivere militare est, non est vivere sed valere vita.Physical Sensibility
N physical sensibility, sensibility, sensitiveness, physical sensibility, feeling, impressibility, perceptivity, aesthetics, moral sensibility, sensation, impression, consciousness, external senses, sensible, sensitive, sensuous, aesthetic, perceptive, sentient, conscious, acute, sharp, keen, vivid, lively, impressive, thin-skinned, to the quick, the touch'd needle trembles to the pole.For further exploring for "lively" in Webster Dictionary Online