livelihood

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A means of providing the necessities of life for oneself (for example, a job or income).

   An independent livelihood;  to make / earn / gain / win a good livelihood by the sweat of one's brow.

2. 2
   noun

   Property which brings in an income; an estate.

   Then ſayde Peter: Ananias how is it that ſatan hath filled thyne hert thatt thou ſhuldeſt lye vnto the holy gooſt and kepe awaye parte off the pryce off the lyvelod[…]?

3. 3
   noun

   Liveliness; appearance of life.

   […] the tiranny of her ſorrowes takes all liuelihood from her cheeke.

4. 4
   noun

   The course of someone's life; a person's lifetime, or their manner of living; conduct, behaviour.

   Wel said Merlyn I knowe a lord of yours in this land that is a passyng true man & a feithful & he shal haue the nourysshyng of your child & his name is sir Ector & he is a lord of fair lyuelode in many partyes in Englond & walys.

From Middle English liflode, from Old English līflād (“course of life, conduct”), from līf (“life”) + lād (“course, journey”), later altered under the influence of lively, -hood. Compare life, lode.

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