LOVE, v.t. luv. [L. libeo, lubeo. See Lief. The sense is probably to be prompt, free, willing, from leaning, advancing, or drawing forward.]

1. An affection of the mind excited by beauty and worth of any kind, or by the qualities of an object which communicate pleasure, sensual or intellectual. It is opposed to hatred. Love between the sexes, is a compound affection, consisting of esteem, benevolence, and animal desire. Love is excited by pleasing qualities of any kind, as by kindness, benevolence, charity, and by the qualities which render social intercourse agreeable. In the latter case, love is ardent friendship, or a strong attachment springing from good will and esteem, and the pleasure derived from the company, civilities and kindnesses of others. Between certain natural relatives, love seems to be in some cases instinctive. Such is the love of a mother for her child, which manifests itself toward an infant, before any particular qualities in the child are unfolded. This affection is apparently as strong in irrational animals as in human beings. We speak of the love of amusement, the love of books, the love of money, and the love of whatever contributes to our pleasure or supposed profit. The love of God is the first duty of man, and this springs from just views of his attributes or excellencies of character, which afford the highest delight to the sanctified heart. Esteem and reverence constitute ingredients in this affection, and a fear of offending him is its inseparable effect.
2. Courtship; chiefly in the phrase, to make love, that is, to court; to woo; to solicit union in marriage.
3. Patriotism; the attachment one has to his native land; as, the love of country.
4. Benevolence; good will. God is love. 1 John iv.
5. The object beloved. The lover and the loved of human kind. – Pope.
6. A word of endearment. Trust me, love. – Dryden.
7. Picturesque representation of love. Such was his form as painters, when they show / Their utmost art, on naked loves bestow. – Dryden.
8. Lewdness. He is not lolling on a lewd love-bed. – Shak.
9. A thin silk stuff. [Obs.] – Boyle. Love in idleness, a kind of violet. – Shak. Free of love, a plant of the genus Cercis. – Fam. of Plants.

1. In a general sense, to be pleased with; to regard with affection, on account of some qualities which excite pleasing sensations or desire of gratification. We love a friend on account of some qualities which give us pleasure in his society. We love a man who has done us a favor; in which case gratitude enters into the composition of our affection. We love our parents and our children, on account of their connection with us, and on, account of many qualities which please us. We love to retire to a cool shade in summer. We love a warm room in winter. We love to hear an eloquent advocate. The Christian loves his Bible. In short, we love whatever gives us pleasure and delight, whether animal or intellectual; and if our hearts are right, we love God above all things, as the sum of all excellence and all the attributes which can communicate happiness to intelligent beings. In other words, the Christian loves God with the love of complacency in his attributes, the love of benevolence toward the interests of his kingdom, and the love of gratitude for favors received. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matth. xxii. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Matth. xxii.
2. To have benevolence or good will for. John iii.

1. A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preëminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness; as, the love of brothers and sisters.
   
   

   Of all the dearest bonds we prove
   Thou countest sons' and mothers' love
   Most sacred, most Thine own. Keble.

2. To have a feeling of love for; to regard with affection or good will; as, to love one's children and friends; to love one's country; to love one's God.
   
   

   Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matt. xxii. 37.

   Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self. Matt. xxii. 39.

3. To have the feeling of love; to be in love.
4. Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate affection for, one of the opposite sex.
   
   

   He on his side
   Leaning half-raised, with looks of cordial love
   Hung over her enamored. Milton.

5. To regard with passionate and devoted affection, as that of one sex for the other.
6. Courtship; -- chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e., to court, to woo, to solicit union in marriage.
   
   

   Demetrius . . .
   Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,
   And won her soul. Shak.

7. To take delight or pleasure in; to have a strong liking or desire for, or interest in; to be pleased with; to like; as, to love books; to love adventures.
   
   

   Wit, eloquence, and poetry.
   Arts which I loved. Cowley.

8. Affection; kind feeling; friendship; strong liking or desire; fondness; good will; -- opposed to hate; often with of and an object.
   
   

   Love, and health to all. Shak.

   Smit with the love of sacred song. Milton.

   The love of science faintly warmed his breast. Fenton.

9. Due gratitude and reverence to God.
   
   

   Keep yourselves in the love of God. Jude 21.

10. The object of affection; -- often employed in endearing address.
    
    
    "Trust me, love." Dryden.

    Open the temple gates unto my love. Spenser.

11. Cupid, the god of love; sometimes, Venus.
    
    

    Such was his form as painters, when they show
    Their utmost art, on naked Lores bestow. Dryden.

    Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love. Shak.

12. A thin silk stuff.
    
    
    [Obs.] Boyle.
13. A climbing species of Clematis (C. Vitalba).
14. Nothing; no points scored on one side; -- used in counting score at tennis, etc.
    
    

    He won the match by three sets to love. The Field.

    * Love is often used in the formation of compounds, in most of which the meaning is very obvious; as, love-cracked, love-darting, love-killing, love-linked, love-taught, etc.

    A labor of love, a labor undertaken on account of regard for some person, or through pleasure in the work itself, without expectation of reward. -- Free love, the doctrine or practice of consorting with one of the opposite sex, at pleasure, without marriage. See Free love. -- Free lover, one who avows or practices free love. -- In love, in the act of loving; -- said esp. of the love of the sexes; as, to be in love; to fall in love. -- Love apple (Bot.), the tomato. -- Love bird (Zoöl.), any one of several species of small, short-tailed parrots, or parrakeets, of the genus Agapornis, and allied genera. They are mostly from Africa. Some species are often kept as cage birds, and are celebrated for the affection which they show for their mates. -- Love broker, a person who for pay acts as agent between lovers, or as a go-between in a sexual intrigue. Shak. -- Love charm, a charm for exciting love. Ld. Lytton. -- Love child. an illegitimate child. Jane Austen. -- Love day, a day formerly appointed for an amicable adjustment of differences. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. Chaucer. -- Love drink, a love potion; a philter. Chaucer. -- Love favor, something given to be worn in token of love. -- Love feast, a religious festival, held quarterly by some religious denominations, as the Moravians and Methodists, in imitation of the agapæ of the early Christians. -- Love feat, the gallant act of a lover. Shak. -- Love game, a game, as in tennis, in which the vanquished person or party does not score a point. -- Love grass. [G. liebesgras.] (Bot.) Any grass of the genus Eragrostis. -- Love-in-a-mist. (Bot.) (a) An herb of the Buttercup family (Nigella Damascena) having the flowers hidden in a maze of finely cut bracts. (b) The West Indian Passiflora fœtida, which has similar bracts. -- Love-in- idleness (Bot.), a kind of violet; the small pansy.

    A little western flower,
    Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound;
    And maidens call it love-in-idleness. Shak.

    -- Love juice, juice of a plant supposed to produce love. Shak. -- Love knot, a knot or bow, as of ribbon; -- so called from being used as a token of love, or as a pledge of mutual affection. Milman. -- Love lass, a sweetheart. -- Love letter, a letter of courtship. Shak. -- Love-lies-bleeding (Bot.), a species of amaranth (Amarantus melancholicus). -- Love match, a marriage brought about by love alone. -- Love potion, a compounded draught intended to excite love, or venereal desire. -- Love rites, sexual intercourse. Pope -- Love scene, an exhibition of love, as between lovers on the stage. -- Love suit, courtship. Shak. -- Of all loves, for the sake of all love; by all means. [Obs.] "Mrs. Arden desired him of all loves to come back again." Holinshed. -- The god of love, or Love god, Cupid. -- To make love to, to express affection for; to woo. "If you will marry, make your loves to me." Shak. -- To play for love, to play a game, as at cards, without stakes. "A game at piquet for love." Lamb.

    Syn. -- Affection; friendship; kindness; tenderness; fondness; delight.