–adjective

1.	older or elder (usually designating the older of two men bearing the same name, as a father whose son is named after him, often written as Sr. or sr. following the name): I would like to see the senior Mr. Hansen Mr. Edward Andrew Hansen, Sr. Compare junior (def. 1).

2.	of earlier appointment or admission, as to an office, status, or rank: a senior partner.

3.	of higher or the highest rank or standing.

4.	(in American schools, colleges, and universities) of or pertaining to students in their final year or to their class.

5.	(in certain American colleges and universities) of or pertaining to the final two years of education, during which a student specializes in a certain field of study.

6.	of, for, or pertaining to a senior citizen or senior citizens as a group: senior discounts on local bus fares.

7.	of earlier date; prior to: His appointment is senior to mine by a year.

8.	Finance. having a claim on payments, assets, dividends, or the like prior to other creditors, mortgages, stockholders, etc.

–noun

9.	a person who is older than another.

10.	a person of higher rank or standing than another, esp. by virtue of longer service.

11.	(in the U.S.) a student in the final year at a high school, preparatory school, college, or university.

12.	a fellow holding senior rank in a college at an English university.

13.	a senior citizen.

14.	(initial capital letter) a member of the Girl Scouts from 14 through 17 years of age.

–noun

1.	the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally.

2.	the sum of the distinguishing phenomena of organisms, esp. metabolism, growth, reproduction, and adaptation to environment.

3.	the animate existence or period of animate existence of an individual: to risk one's life; a short life and a merry one.

4.	a corresponding state, existence, or principle of existence conceived of as belonging to the soul: eternal life.

5.	the general or universal condition of human existence: Too bad, but life is like that.

6.	any specified period of animate existence: a man in middle life.

7.	the period of existence, activity, or effectiveness of something inanimate, as a machine, lease, or play: The life of the car may be ten years.

8.	a living being: Several lives were lost.

9.	living things collectively: the hope of discovering life on other planets; insect life.

10.	a particular aspect of existence: He enjoys an active physical life.

11.	the course of existence or sum of experiences and actions that constitute a person's existence: His business has been his entire life.

12.	a biography: a newly published life of Willa Cather.

13.	animation; liveliness; spirit: a speech full of life.

14.	resilience; elasticity.

15.	the force that makes or keeps something alive; the vivifying or quickening principle: The life of the treaty has been an increase of mutual understanding and respect.

16.	a mode or manner of existence, as in the world of affairs or society: So far her business life has not overlapped her social life.

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17.	the period or extent of authority, popularity, approval, etc.: the life of the committee; the life of a bestseller.

18.	a prison sentence covering the remaining portion of the offender's animate existence: The judge gave him life.

19.	anything or anyone considered to be as precious as life: She was his life.

20.	a person or thing that enlivens: the life of the party.

21.	effervescence or sparkle, as of wines.

22.	pungency or str ae9 ong, sharp flavor, as of substances when fresh or in good condition.

23.	nature or any of the forms of nature as the model or subject of a work of art: drawn from life.

24.	Baseball. another opportunity given to a batter to bat because of a misplay by a fielder.

25.	(in English pool) one of a limited number of shots allowed a player: Each pool player has three lives at the beginning of the game.

–adjective

26.	for or lasting a lifetime; lifelong: a life membership in a club; life imprisonment.

27.	of or pertaining to animate existence: the life force; life functions.

28.	working from nature or using a living model: a life drawing; a life class.

—Idioms

29.	as large as life, actually; indeed: There he stood, as large as life. Also, as big as life.

30.	come to life, a. to recover consciousness. b. to become animated and vigorous: The evening passed, but somehow the party never came to life. c. to appear lifelike: The characters of the novel came to life on the screen.

31.	for dear life, with desperate effort, energy, or speed: We ran for dear life, with the dogs at our heels. Also, for one's life.

32.	for the life of one, as hard as one tries; even with the utmost effort: He can't understand it for the life of him.

33.	get a life, to improve the quality of one's social and professional life: often used in the imperative to express impatience with someone's behavior.

34.	not on your life, Informal. absolutely not; under no circumstances; by no means: Will I stand for such a thing? Not on your life!

35.	take one's life in one's hands, to risk death knowingly: 1066 We were warned that we were taking our lives in our hands by going through that swampy area.

36.	to the life, in perfect imitation; exactly: The portrait characterized him to the life.

–noun

1.	the act, system, or business of insuring property, life, one's person, etc., against loss or harm arising in specified contingencies, as fire, accident, death, disablement, or the like, in consideration of a payment proportionate to the risk involved.

2.	coverage by contract in which one party agrees to indemnify or reimburse another for loss that occurs under the terms of the contract.

3.	the contract itself, set forth in a written or printed agreement or policy.

4.	the amount for which anything is insured.

5.	an insurance premium.

6.	any means of guaranteeing against loss or harm: Taking vitamin C is viewed as an insurance against catching colds.

–adjective

7.	of or pertaining to a score that increases a team's lead and insures that the lead will be held if the opposing team should score once more: The home run gave the team an insurance run, making the score 7-5.