life force

See also: lifeforce and life-force

English

Noun

life force (countable and uncountable, plural life forces)

1. The hypothetical principle that animates all living organisms.
   • 1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., page 61:

     The human tribe partakes of the mana or life-force of the animal, and is strengthened[.]

   • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

     "Yes, I'm beating it!" he cried. "Ever since Felkin held his first consultation with Atkinson I have felt the life-force stealing back into me."

2. An impulse or influence that gives something life or vitality.

Synonyms

• élan vital
• qi
• vital force

Translations

principle that animates living organisms

• Danish: livskraft c
• Dutch: levenskracht (nl) f
• Finnish: elämänvoima
• French: force vitale f, élan vital m
• German: Lebenskraft (de) f
• Hungarian: életerő (hu)
• Italian: archeo m
• Latin: anima (la) f, animus (la) m
• Maori: mauri
• Polish: siły witalne f pl
• Swedish: livskraft (sv)

Anagrams

• Roecliffe