liver
nounadjectivenounadjectivecommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈlɪvə//
- United States//ˈlɪvɚ//
- //ˈlɪvə(ɹ)//
- //ˈlaɪvə(ɹ)//
A large organ in the body that stores and metabolizes nutrients, destroys toxins and produces bile. It is responsible for thousands of biochemical reactions.
noun
- 1
A large organ in the body that stores and metabolizes nutrients, destroys toxins and produces bile. It is responsible for thousands of biochemical reactions.
Steve Jobs is a famous liver transplant recipient.
- 2
This organ, as taken from animals used as food.
I'd like some goose liver pate.
You could fry up some chicken livers for a tasty treat. — Nah, I don't like chicken liver.
"I should think you've rocked the boat enough already by refusing to eat liver."
- 3
A dark brown colour, tinted with red and gray, like the colour of liver.
- 4
obsoleteAny of various chemical compounds—particularly sulfides—thought to resemble livers in color.
He gave his horse some liver of antimony.
Etymology
From Middle English lyvere, lyver, from Old English lifer (“liver”), from Proto-West Germanic *libru, from Proto-Germanic *librō, from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to smear, smudge, stick”), from Proto-Indo-European *ley- (“to be slimy, be sticky, glide”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Líeuwer, Lieuwer (“liver”),German Leber (“liver”), Danish, Dutch, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish, and West Frisian lever (“liver”), Faroese livur (“liver”), Icelandic lifur (“liver”). Related to live.
adjective
- 1
Of the colour of liver (dark brown, tinted with red and gray).
His friend Rothwell, who had the use of the best Laveracks for breeding purposes, wrote him that one of his puppies was liver and white.
noun
- 1
Someone who lives (usually in a specified way).
Ephori of Sparta, hearing a dissolute liver propose a very beneficial advise unto the people, commaunded him to hold his peace, and desired an honest man to assume the invention of it unto himselfe and to propound it.
a wicked liver may be reclaimed, and prove an honest man[…].
Try if life be worth the liver's care.
[…] a stately speech; / Such as grave Livers do in Scotland use, / Religious men, who give to God and Man their dues.
- 2
Someone who lives (usually in a specified way). Someone who is alive: one of the living.
When as the wandring Scots and Picthts King Marius had subdude, He gave the Liuers dwellings.
Thou king of heaven, which […] Dost see the secret of each livers heart.
- 3
Someone who lives (usually in a specified way). Someone who lives in a particular place; an inhabitant, a dweller.
They must instantly have been detected by the present Livers that were upon the place.
One, John Powle, a Liver on Sasquehanna River.
There is no liver in the country so practical.
Etymology
From Middle English lyvere, livere, equivalent to live + -er.
adjective
- 1
Also a form of livecomparative form of live: more live
Seeing things on a big screen somehow makes them seem liver.
[…]manslaughter, liver than camcorder
Etymology
Etymology tree English live Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Germanic *-izô Proto-West Germanic *-iʀō Proto-Germanic *-ōzô Proto-West Germanic *-ōʀō Old English -ra Middle English -ere English -(e)r English liver From live (adjective) + -(e)r.
Forms
- plural
- livers
liver · A large organ in the body that stores and metabolizes nutrients, destroys toxins and produces bile. It is responsible for thousands of biochemical…
Liver · From or pertaining to Liverpool.Liverpool · A city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England; an…livestock · Farm animals; animals domesticated for cultivation.