live and let live
See also: live-and-let-live
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]First mentioned in 1622 by Gerard de Malynes in a book about trade law, who mentioned "the Dutch proverbe leuen ende laeten leuven, to live and let others live".
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
[edit]live and let live (third-person singular simple present lives and lets live, present participle living and letting live, simple past and past participle lived and let live)
- (idiomatic) To be tolerant; to enjoy the pleasures and opportunities which life offers and to allow others to do the same.
- 1818, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 23, in The Heart of Mid-Lothian:
- "Hout, neighbour," said Mrs. Howden, "we suld live and let live—we hae been young oursells, and we are no aye to judge the warst when lads and lasses forgather."
- 1903, Arthur Quiller-Couch, chapter 36, in Hetty Wesley:
- ‘Live and let live’ is my motto: let me alone and I'll let you alone.
- 2004 April 22, Michael Ancram, “If the British people vote no, Europe will thank them”, in guardian.co.uk, retrieved 14 June 2008:
- Our Europe policy is simple: live and let live, flourish and let flourish. That is a modern and mature approach.
Usage notes
[edit]- Often expressed hortatively as a proverb.
Related terms
[edit]- live-and-let-live (adjective)
Translations
[edit]be tolerant
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