a.
1. Likely to live. Only in phrase. Cf. ALIVE-LIKE.
1613. J. Day, Diall (1614), 321. But what neede we take so long a Day as to see what they will say on their Death-beds, we shall heare some of them confesse it somewhat sooner, even while they are aliue, and liue-like.
1881. Miss Yonge, Lads & Lasses Langley, ii. 96. Here, mother … I’m living and lifelike, thank God.
2. Like or resembling life; exactly like a living original or something in real life.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IV. 1047. Minerva, life-like on embody’d air, Impressed the form of Iphthima the fair.
1836. H. Rogers, J. Howe, i. (1863), 15. The life-like forms of the painter or the sculptor.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 188. As we read this lifelike fiction.
3. as adv. With animation or liveliness.
1839. Bailey, Festus, xx. (1848), 237. He went Life-like through all things.
Hence Lifelikeness.
1857. Gladstone, in Oxford Ess., 10. This freshness and genuineness, this life-likeness, are almost wholly wanting.
1862. R. H. Patterson, Ess. Hist. & Art, 87. In all the distinctness of objective reality—with all the life-likeness of flesh and blood.
1884. Swinburne, in 19th Cent., May, 788. The piteous and perfect lifelikeness of these magnificent lines every heart … may recognize.
