survivesur‧vive /səˈvaɪv $ sər-/ ●●● S2 W2 AWL verb 
Only 12 of the 140 passengers survived. She survived the attack. people who survive cancer2[intransitive, transitive] to continue to live normally in spite of many problems: I’m sure she will survive this crisis. I’ve had a tough few months, but I’ll survive.3[intransitive] to manage to live a normal life even though you have very little moneysurvive on I don’t know how you all manage to survive on Jeremy’s salary. the amount that a family needs each week just to survive4[intransitive] to continue to exist after a long time: A few pages of the original manuscript still survive.survive from Several buildings in the town have survived from medieval times.survive into an old custom which has survived into the twenty-first centurysurvive as The main building was demolished, but the library still survives as a museum.5[intransitive, transitive] to continue to be successful: The car industry cannot survive without government help. A lot of smaller firms did not survive the recession.6[transitive] to live longer than someone else, usually someone closely related to you: He is survived by his wife Sue.
WORD ORIGINsurvive
Origin:
1400-1500 Old French survivre ‘to live longer than’, from Latin supervivere, from vivere ‘to live’VERB TABLE
survive
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | survive |
| he, she, it | survives | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | survived |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have survived |
| he, she, it | has survived | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had survived |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will survive |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have survived |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am surviving |
| he, she, it | is surviving | |
| you, we, they | are surviving | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was surviving |
| you, we, they | were surviving | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been surviving |
| he, she, it | has been surviving | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been surviving |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be surviving |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been surviving |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Analysts expect the surviving airlines to be stronger than ever.
- Charles survived his wife by three months.
- Doctors predicted that the baby would not survive with such severe disabilities.
- Hannah prayed every night that her husband would survive the war.
- I'll show everyone I can survive as a single parent.
- I don't know how they expect me to survive on my salary.
- I don't think I could survive another year as a teacher. It's just too stressful.
- It's really difficult to survive on £120 a week in London.
- Liz Taylor has survived several broken marriages, as well as periods of drug and alcohol addiction.
- Many of the small, independent businesses are struggling to survive.
- Many Roman roads still survive today.
- Monroe is survived by his wife, Regina, and two sons, Stanley and John.
- My grandmother wouldn't survive another operation.
- None of our photos survived the fire.
- Not many of the insects survive the winter.
- Only 12 of the 140 passengers on the plane survived.
- Only a few of Leonardo's earlier paintings still survive.
- Our friendship has survived the bad times and has grown stronger.
- The Cathedral survived repeated bombings during the Second World War.
- The English language contains many Saxon words that have survived for over 1000 years.
- As Mugezi struggles to survive the parental dictatorship, he finds his admiration for Amin swelling by the day.
- As the surviving joint tenant, Mary Tene inherits the building.
- Because of the nature of oceanic impacts, close observers of large impacts can not survive.
- Caesar will never know how fortunate he was to survive this episode.
- Few sites that I visited had reached a point where they clearly would survive if these extra start-up funds disappeared.
- Noell was survived by five sons, two daughters, and his wife Elizabeth who died two weeks after his own death.
- They had taken professional risks, had survived personal disasters.
Longman Language Activatorto not die in spite of an accident, illness, or war
· Only 12 of the 140 passengers on the plane survived.· Doctors predicted that the baby would not survive with such severe disabilities.· My grandmother wouldn't survive another operation.· Not many of the insects survive the winter.
someone who has survived an accident, war, illness etc: · So far rescue workers have found no sign of any survivors.· Survivors of the accident were rushed to the nearest hospital.sole survivor (=the only survivor): · An eight-month-old baby girl was the sole survivor of a car crash that killed both her parents.
to continue to live and not die when you are in a very dangerous situation, for example in a war or when you have very little food: · They managed to stay alive by eating roots and berries.· We had to ignore the terrible things going on around us, and just concentrate on staying alive.
to survive and get better after having a very serious illness or injury: · I was so ill that the doctors weren't sure if I was going to pull through.· The first few days after the accident were awful, and everyone was just praying he'd pull through.
to survive after being involved in a serious accident, especially because of good luck: · The driver was killed but his passenger escaped with only a few scratches.escape injury/death etc: · The family escaped injury when a fire gutted their two-bedroom apartment.narrowly escape (=only just escape): · The prime minister narrowly escaped a terrorist bomb in 1999.
if you say that someone will live , you mean that they will survive, even though they have a very serious illness, injury etc: · One of the victims has severe burns and is not expected to live.live or die: · Our baby was in the intensive care unit, and we didn't know whether she would live or die.live to tell the tale/live to tell about it (=survive a very dangerous experience, so that you are able to tell people about it afterwards): · There were ten in the lifeboat, but only three lived to tell the tale.
informal to survive when you are in a very dangerous situation or when you have a very serious illness: · At one point I was so exhausted and weak that I didn't think I was going to make it.· I was surprised she had made it through the night.
if someone lasts a period of time, they continue to live during that period, even though they have a very serious illness or injury: · His breathing was getting worse and he was not expected to last the night.· It's amazing that she's managed to last this long, really.
when something continues to exist in spite of difficulties · Many of the small, independent businesses are struggling to survive.· Only a few of Leonardo's earlier paintings still survive.· Our friendship has survived the bad times and has grown stronger.· The Cathedral survived repeated bombings during the Second World War.
to survive a period of great difficulty: · If we can come through this crisis, the company's future looks bright.· The German team were in deep trouble at the beginning of the match but in the end they came through.
if a company stays afloat , it continues to survive in spite of difficult financial problems that may force it to close: · Ever since we started the business two years ago, we've been struggling to stay afloat.
to continue to live your normal life in spite of problems · The program provides homeless kids with the basics they need to survive: food, shelter, and health care.· Liz Taylor has survived several broken marriages, as well as periods of drug and alcohol addiction.· I don't think I could survive another year as a teacher. It's just too stressful.
someone who is used to dealing with great personal problems and difficulties and is able to survive them: · As more is revealed, the audience begins to see Wendy as a survivor rather than a victim.a born survivor (=someone who seems to have a natural ability to survive difficulties): · Although she's had an extremely hard life, Tina Turner is a born survivor.
to successfully deal with a very difficult problem or experience and be able to continue with your normal life after it: · She's had problems before and she's always come through.· Some children come through their parents' divorcing better than others.
to succeed in reaching the end of a very difficult period or experience: · It was not an easy time for Tracy but her friends helped her get through.· "Oh Jane, how will I ever get through this?" she said, and the tears started flowing again.
to continue to live a normal life even though you have very little money · When I look at how much we spend on food, I wonder how unemployed people are able to survive.survive on £100 a week/a small income etc · It's really difficult to survive on £120 a week in London.· I don't know how they expect me to survive on my salary.
to have enough money to buy the things you need to live: · We don't have a lot of money to spend on luxuries, but we get by.get by on $5 a day/a small income etc: · When I was at college I used to be able to get by on $20 a week.
if someone lives on a particular amount of money, this is all the money that they have to buy everything that they need: · How much do you need to live on?· $35,000 a year sounds like a lot of money, but it's scarcely enough to live on in New York.
if it is difficult for you to make ends meet , it is difficult for you to pay for the things that you need in order to live: · Old people on pensions are finding it hard to make ends meet.· My mother had to work 12 hours a day in a factory just to make ends meet.
to have just enough money to pay your debts or to avoid closing your business: · I'm just a pensioner, trying to keep my head above water.· Schools throughout the county are struggling to keep their heads above water.
formal if someone subsists on a very small amount of money or a very small amount of food, this is all they have to live on: · They subsist on eggs and beans most of the time.subsist on a dollar a day/a small income etc: · The workers are expected to subsist on a dollar a day.
to get just enough food or money to live on by doing a particular kind of work: · She eked out a living by selling firewood.· Farmers eked out a primitive existence on the dry, stony land.
to continue to be alive to continue to be alive: · The baby was born with a serious heart defect and not expected to live.live for two years/three months/a long time etc: · My father only lived for a few years after his heart attack.· Cats normally live for about twelve years.the will to live (=the desire to live): · The will to live can be a vital factor in recovery.
to not die, even though you are in a dangerous situation: · The ship's crew eventually resorted to eating rats and even sawdust to stay alive.· Krasner, who has cancer, vowed she would stay alive until her brother was set free.
to remain alive longer than someone else, especially a relative or friend who has died: · Judith outlived two of her three children.outlive somebody by 10 years/six months etc: · Women, on average, outlive men by 1.9 years.
to live longer than someone else, usually someone closely related to you - used especially in newspaper articles: survive somebody by 10 years/six months etc: · Charles survived his wife by three months.be survived by: · Monroe is survived by his wife, Regina, and two sons, Stanley and John.
to remain something or someone that is left is still there after everything or everyone else has gone or has been used: · Jones scored with only two minutes left in the fourth quarter.· Is there any milk left?· By 5 o'clock there was no one left in the office.have something left: · How much time do we have left to finish this?the only one/person/thing etc left: · If Tracey leaves, I'll be the only girl left in the class.
something that is left over , especially money or food, is still there after you have used everything that you need: · I pay all the bills and save any money that is left over.be left over from: · Was there any food left over from the party?· Toy bears left over from an ad campaign will be donated to the children's hospital.
formal if something remains , it still exists or is still available after everything else has gone, been used, or been dealt with: · We have dealt with most things, but a few small problems remain.· Some elements of the old class system still remain.remain of: · Not much remained of the house after the fire.remain to be done: · A few problems remain to be discussed.
to remain in existence even after a very long time has passed or after something dangerous has happened: · Many Roman roads still survive today.· The English language contains many Saxon words that have survived for over 1000 years.· Very few government buildings survived the bombing in Hanoi.
if something such as a building or tree is still standing or is left standing after a fire, explosion, or a very long time, it is left after many others have gone or been destroyed: · After the earthquake only a few houses were still standing.· Many of the trees Mrs. Socci planted are still standing, a hundred years later.· A stone chimney was the only thing left standing.· The old barracks are still standing on the north side of the island.
if you have something such as money, time, or material to spare , there is some left after you have used as much as you need: · If you have time to spare, consider volunteering at your local school.with something to spare: · We arrived at the station with only a few seconds to spare before the train left.· Russia is large enough that you could fit the United States inside it with room to spare.
if you still have four miles, six hours, two years etc to go , you have that distance or length of time left before a journey or period of time is over: · Only another mile to go!· We've got another couple of hours to go before finishing.with something to go: · Evans scored with only two minutes to go in the game.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES His reputation survived intact.
(=continues to be followed)· The custom of slaughtering an animal to welcome guests still survives in some areas.
His reputation survived intact.· Only one person has survived an operation to implant an artificial heart.
· The woman survived her ordeal and identified her attacker.
· As far as she knew, she had no living relatives.
· His sole surviving child, Mary, succeeded to the throne at the age of one week.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Now six of these species only survive in captivity.· The play, of course, is a dismal dramatic failure and survives only as a curiosity.· I don't want to survive only on donations, but we just don't have the resources to buy much.· Instead of a vacant field overgrown, the house was survived only by complete woods.· Rawlings's friends and foes alike say he survived only because of the enormous popularity with which he began his rule.· Many of these projects are now losing massive amounts of money and only survive with public subsidies.· One could survive only by silence and a strict refusal of complicity.· Even animals that normally live in warm hydrothermal waters survive only when kept chilled.
· Many of Whessoe's installations from the early years of this century still survive today and are used primarily for storage.· In the whole city, it is the only factory that is still surviving.· At Conques she stayed, and a beautiful shrine was made for her which still survives.· Trains blow up and people still survive.· Occasionally, and especially in an area of scattered settlement, buildings which still survive can be identified in the tax returns.· And it is a definition still surviving even in branches of the family which Rachel Kalber has no contact with.· Gervase recorded the year-by-year progress of his work, which still survives.· Some, like the notable khans of Aleppo, still survive today.
NOUN· Though Karla survived the attack, she nearly died from the subsequent water-borne infection.· Boris Fyodorov survived the attack and returned to accuse senior Kremlin aides of siphoning cash out of the fund.· Most of the Kurdlsh villages which had survived earlier attacks were destroyed.· She managed to survive the attack, climb out of the chilly water and flag down a motorist on the Embarcadero.· Charlie's heart sank when he read the orders; he knew the odds against surviving two attacks were virtually unknown.· And what would happen next, now that Park had survived the attack?· Few animals can survive the sustained attack of this devastating army.· It was now three months after Mrs Washington survived that nightmare attack.
· Some rumours, he says, have survived for centuries, merely by mutating and reappearing in a different guise.· Weighing four pounds, it has survived the centuries well, still bearing traces of gilding on the brass hilt.· These two forests have therefore survived into the twentieth century by a remarkable process of transformation.· Yet there is a pervasive feeling that this lifestyle may not survive the next century.· More than half of them have now perished and only a score or more will survive into the next century.· But what of the notion that pubs won't survive into the next century?· Will his reputation survive into the twenty-first century?
· However, humanity could survive a glacial; its chances of surviving a runaway greenhouse effect are much more slender.· Nobody even gave him much chance of surviving the match for the gold in Greco-Roman wrestling's super heavyweight division.· Building up experience and discovering magic items gives Samson an enhanced chance of surviving the later stages of the adventure.· But experts say a privatized Ikarus would have a chance to survive.· He says he had a fifty-fifty chance of surviving the operation but it was better than no odds at all.· The president stands a good chance of surviving multi-party elections.· Your plants will need time to become really well established to give them a better chance of surviving a harsh winter.· I hope it helped a little, because the chances of it surviving the winter were probably slim.
· It was not until half way through the sombre reception that doctors told Phil's anguished family he would survive.· The family survived on modest means.· Organisers say they hope to teach youngsters and their families how to survive the abuse and carry on with their lives.· And how will the fractured Cappadora family survive this terrible event?· Moreover, these traditional wisdoms of family life do not survive modern scrutiny.· The families and surviving victims were seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages from the railroad.· Its high rise flats are steeped in monotonous poverty: families survive on next to nothing, heroin is a hard currency.· How the family survived, nobody knew.
· Her husband's just grateful she survived her ordeal.· He was beginning to wonder if he would survive the ordeal.· The ants are so minute that they can dodge the rays and so survive the ordeal.· Because the liquid is non-toxic, more birds are likely to survive the ordeal than if petroleum were involved, he said.· Only a small percentage of the original 10, 000 minks survived the ordeal.· After barely surviving her ordeal, the young woman began years of reconstructive surgery.
· He moved slowly round the perimeter staring at the seven disciples who had so far survived the ungodly war.· He survived two world wars only to find himself homeless in San Francisco.· It was potentially extremely dangerous and although it had survived since the war it may have been very unstable.· She survived the war and all the other calamities of the first half of this century in Romni.· If he survived the war and should ever read these words, I hope he may resume contact after nearly fifty years.· The idea we got was that the reason my father survived the war was because he took care of his body.· Typical open air art exhibition - this one is in Via Francesco Sforza Milan did not survive the war intact.· Primitive problems: how to survive, war, peace.
· He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.· Tsongas is survived by his wife and their three daughters, Ashley, Katina and Molly.· Prof Gibson is survived by his wife, Patricia, two sons, two daughters and 11 grandchildren.· He is survived by his wife Denny, two sons, Curtis and Douglas, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.· He is survived by his wife, Theresa Bell, and two stepchildren.· He is survived by his three wives and 14 children.
· An established hebe may survive all but the worst winters, but a young plant may succumb to moderately severe weather.· First there are infective larvae which developed during the previous grazing season and have survived on pasture over winter.· How do aquatic animals survive the winter in relation to ice? 8.· Tatty and faded now, it had survived hibernation through the winter.· Families survive winter with a freezer full of elk steaks and deer salami.· Some groups may survive the winter, once the old people have died off.· It will stay there now until next May, surviving the deep winter cold in an antifreeze solution of sweet glycerol.
· Patients with chronic persistent hepatitis may, however, survive for years without histological progression.· The Niagara Suspension Bridge would survive for forty-two years.· In the unlikely event of it surviving for three years, it becomes mutton.· It is remarkable that we have survived 43 years of marriage in such conflict.· So was a labyrinthine knowledge of pop music, remnants of which have survived the years.· Although the Stuart-Meredith growth charts have survived for 30 years, their usefulness in contemporary society is limited.· The Richmond Meet is clearly thriving - but how did it manage to survive the lean years?· For those treated in advanced stages, only one in five survives five years.
VERB· I did not expect to survive but miraculously I escaped and got out of the country.· No one expects that record to survive the 2000 convention season.· Earl Spencer was not expected to survive the night.· Bria Coleen Hess is expected to survive if she lives another seven to 10 days.· If the trend continues, only plants which thrive in such pollution can be expected to survive.· She was rushed to hospital, but was not expected to survive.· What we are doing is cramming more species in than we expect to survive.
· In fact, her affection for the wonderful world in which she lives has helped her survive.· Uric acid production had helped this animal to survive a year-long fast without one drink of water.· It's the combination of academic and social learning that will help the pupils survive and compete in the seeing world.· The coyote benefits by eating the berries, and ultimately helps the plants survive.· The goat's milk helped the children to survive but Boris, who grew fast, suffered.· At that time, gambling helped him to survive.· He says a few lordships are cursing his name because it can't be helping them to survive.· This is reality, and helps us to survive on a day-to-day basis.
· Those who were still in complete control did not manage to survive the food.· The publishing executives who managed to survive during these difficult days were an increasingly rough-and-tumble bunch.· She managed to survive the attack, climb out of the chilly water and flag down a motorist on the Embarcadero.· The Richmond Meet is clearly thriving - but how did it manage to survive the lean years?· Texas has managed to survive without a civil service system all along.· In reality, few students manage to survive a full year on these sums.· Unlike his predecessor, Bienvenu managed to survive his own spy scandal and its ensuing shake-up.
· Jenny was a mere servant, a working-class girl who needed his money to survive.· They were what she needed to survive in the manner she wanted, causing her to emerge victoriously from nothing to something.· Some companies need to downsize to survive.· Indeed, he was shrewd and tough, two weapons needed to survive in the jungle that is boxing.· In that sense it was like any small business borrowing the capital it needs to expand and survive.· He researched what his 211 ants needed to survive, to thrive.· In this way, society sustains itself and produces the type of behaviour and responses it needs to survive.· The city supplies the population base the businesses need to survive, Trowbridge says, so they will stay.
· Significantly, the only group that assists people in waiting areas is now struggling to survive.· Throughout this turmoil is the spirit of a persecuted people struggling to survive.· Until peace comes to the Gulf, it will remain a society struggling to survive.· It can flourish or struggle cannily to survive.· Why do some companies thrive on change while others struggle to survive?· Nineteenth-century irrigation pioneers were better suited to endure hardships than settlers who struggled to survive on Federal Reclamation projects after 1902.· There have always been a minority of wealthy older people and a majority struggling to survive in poverty.· Adults and children struggled to survive on daily bowls of beet soup and weekly pieces of bread.
WORD FAMILYnounsurvivalsurvivoradjectivesurvivingverbsurvive
1[intransitive, transitive] to continue to live after an accident, war, or illness: Only 12 of the 140 passengers survived. She survived the attack. people who survive cancer2[intransitive, transitive] to continue to live normally in spite of many problems: I’m sure she will survive this crisis. I’ve had a tough few months, but I’ll survive.3[intransitive] to manage to live a normal life even though you have very little moneysurvive on I don’t know how you all manage to survive on Jeremy’s salary. the amount that a family needs each week just to survive4[intransitive] to continue to exist after a long time: A few pages of the original manuscript still survive.survive from Several buildings in the town have survived from medieval times.survive into an old custom which has survived into the twenty-first centurysurvive as The main building was demolished, but the library still survives as a museum.5[intransitive, transitive] to continue to be successful: The car industry cannot survive without government help. A lot of smaller firms did not survive the recession.6[transitive] to live longer than someone else, usually someone closely related to you: He is survived by his wife Sue.