live on

I or live off

1) PHRASAL VERB If you live on or live off a particular amount of money, you have that amount of money to buy things.

[V P amount] Even with efficient budgeting, most students are unable to live on ₤4000 per year...

[V P amount] You'll have enough to live on...

[V P amount] She had to live off ₤46 a week.

2) PHRASAL VERB If you live on or live off a particular source of income, that is where you get the money that you need.

[V P n] The proportion of Americans living on welfare rose...

[V P n] He's been living off state benefits.

3) PHRASAL VERB If an animal lives on or lives off a particular food, this is the kind of food that it eats.

[V P n] The fish live on the plankton...

[V P n] Most species live off aquatic snails.

4) PHRASAL VERB If you say that a person lives on or lives off a particular kind of food, you mean that it seems to be the only thing that they eat, for example because they like it a lot or because they do not have other foods.

[V P n] The children live on chips...

[V P n] Their room was bare of furniture and they lived off porridge.

II

1) see live 7)

2) PHRASAL VERB If someone lives on, they continue to be alive for a long time after a particular point in time or after a particular event.

[V P] I know my life has been cut short by this terrible virus but Daniel will live on after me.