enliven
pronunciation
How to pronounce enliven in British English:
UK [ɪnˈlaɪvn]
How to pronounce enliven in American English:
US [ɛnˈlaɪvən]
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- Verb:
- heighten or intensify
- make lively
Word Origin
- enliven (v.)
- 1630s, "give life to," from en- (1) "make, put in" + live for life + -en (1). Meaning "make lively or cheerful" is from 1690s. Related: Enlivened; enlivening. Enlive in same sense is from 1590s. A noun, enlivement, is recorded from 1877.
Example
- 1. A newt in the offing would certainly enliven the race .
- 2. The caricature is unfair , but it could enliven what has been a largely issueless election .
- 3. Lower government spending and higher taxes will do little to enliven the domestic market , and the euro area , britain 's main trading partner , is struggling .
- 4. Books matter in every sense of the word , and better understanding " how to do things with books " can both enrich our study of the victorian period and enliven our cultural debates today .