12. A history of the acts and events of a life; a biography; as,
Johnson wrote the life of Milton.
13. Enjoyment in the right use of the powers; especially, a spiritual
existence; happiness in the favor of God; heavenly felicity.
14. Something dear to one as one's existence; a darling; -- used as a
term of endearment.
Life forms the first part of many compounds, for the most part of
obvious meaning; as, life-giving, life- sustaining, etc.
Life annuity, an annuity payable during one's life. -- Life arrow, Life
rocket, Life shot, an arrow, rocket, or shot, for carrying an attached
line to a vessel in distress in order to save life. -- Life assurance.
See Life insurance, below. -- Life buoy. See Buoy. -- Life car, a
water- tight boat or box, traveling on a line from a wrecked vessel to
the shore. In it persons are hauled through the waves and surf. -- Life
drop, a drop of vital blood. Byron. -- Life estate (Law), an estate
which is held during the term of some certain person's life, but does
not pass by inheritance. -- Life everlasting (Bot.), a plant with white
or yellow persistent scales about the heads of the flowers, as
Antennaria, and Gnaphalium; cudweed. -- Life of an execution (Law), the
period when an execution is in force, or before it expires. -- Life
guard. (Mil.) See under Guard. -- Life insurance, the act or system of
insuring against death; a contract by which the insurer undertakes, in
consideration of the payment of a premium (usually at stated periods),
to pay a stipulated sum in the event of the death of the insured or of
a third person in whose life the insured has an interest. -- Life
interest, an estate or interest which lasts during one's life, or the
life of another person, but does not pass by inheritance. -- Life land
(Law), land held by lease for the term of a life or lives. -- Life
line. (a) (Naut.) A line along any part of a vessel for the security of
sailors. (b) A line attached to a life boat, or to any life saving
apparatus, to be grasped by a person in the water. -- Life rate, the
rate of premium for insuring a life. -- Life rent, the rent of a life
estate; rent or property to which one is entitled during one's life. --
Life school, a school for artists in which they model, paint, or draw
from living models. -- Life table, a table showing the probability of
life at different ages. -- To lose one's life, to die. -- To seek the
life of, to seek to kill. -- To the life, so as closely to resemble the
living person or the subject; as, the portrait was drawn to the life.
Life"blood` (lf"bld`), n. 1. The blood necessary to life; vital blood.
Dryden.