n. [ OE. love, luve, AS. lufe, lufu; akin to E. lief, believe, L. lubet, libet, it pleases, Skr. lubh to be lustful. See Lief. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of all the dearest bonds we prove
Thou countest sons' and mothers' love
Most sacred, most Thine own. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate affection for, one of the opposite sex. [ 1913 Webster ]

He on his side
Leaning half-raised, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamored. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Courtship; -- chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e., to court, to woo, to solicit union in marriage. [ 1913 Webster ]

Demetrius . . .
Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,
And won her soul. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Affection; kind feeling; friendship; strong liking or desire; fondness; good will; -- opposed to hate; often with of and an object. [ 1913 Webster ]

Love, and health to all. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Smit with the love of sacred song. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The love of science faintly warmed his breast. Fenton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Due gratitude and reverence to God. [ 1913 Webster ]

Keep yourselves in the love of God. Jude 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. The object of affection; -- often employed in endearing address; as, he held his love in his arms; his greatest love was reading. “Trust me, love.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Open the temple gates unto my love. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Cupid, the god of love; sometimes, Venus. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such was his form as painters, when they show
Their utmost art, on naked Lores bestow. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A thin silk stuff. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Bot.) A climbing species of Clematis (Clematis Vitalba). [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Nothing; no points scored on one side; -- used in counting score at tennis, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

He won the match by three sets to love. The Field. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. Sexual intercourse; -- a euphemism. [ PJC ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 (Zool.), 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. [ 1913 Webster ] 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
The Love god, Cupid. --
To make love, to engage in sexual intercourse; -- a euphemism. --
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. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Syn. -- Affection; friendship; kindness; tenderness; fondness; delight. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To have the feeling of love; to be in love. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Loved p. pr. & vb. n. Loving. ] [ AS. lufian. √124. See Love, n. ] 1. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matt. xxii. 37. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self. Matt. xxii. 39. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To regard with passionate and devoted affection, as that of one sex for the other. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wit, eloquence, and poetry.
Arts which I loved. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Lovable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A small Australian parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus) usually light green with black and yellow markings in the wild but bred in many colors; also called the budgie.
Syn. -- budgerigar, budgereegah, budgerygah, budgie, grass parakeet, shell parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. small African parrot noted for showing affection for their mates. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. p. p. of love, v. t.. Opposite of unloved. [ Narrower terms: admired, esteemed ] Also See: wanted. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Love + OF. druerie. Cf. Druery. ] Affection. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is loved. [ Humorous ] “The lover and lovee.” Richardson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of love. [ Obs. ] Sylvester. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Void of love; void of tenderness or kindness. Milton. Shelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not attracting love; unattractive. [ 1913 Webster ]

These are ill-favored to see to; and yet, as loveless as they be, they are not without some medicinable virtues. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]