transitive. To support or maintain (life) by providing food, drink, and other necessities.

To go through, pass (life, †a portion of time). Cf. Latin ducere vitam, Greek ἄγειν βίον, etc. Rarely, †To support life by (bread). †Also with forth.

transitive. To serve to maintain. Obsolete.

transitive. To sustain; (in later use) esp. to give sustenance or support to.

transitive. To support, sustain, or nourish (a person or thing), in a manner analogous to breastfeeding. Obsolete. rare.

transitive. To maintain life in (a being, etc.). Obsolete.

transitive. To cause to remain in association or union. to keep body (†life) and soul together: to keep (oneself) alive.

transitive. To keep alive; to keep from perishing. Now somewhat archaic.

to eke out. To contrive to make (a livelihood), or to support (existence) by various makeshifts.