lovinglov‧ing /ˈlʌvɪŋ/ ●●○ adjective 
the confidence he had gained from having a warm and loving family What that child needs is plenty of loving care. He’s very loving and affectionate with his sister.2peace-loving/fun-loving/home-loving etc thinking that peace, having fun etc is very important: a peace-loving nation3done with a lot of care and attention: the loving care with which the house has been restored—lovingly adverb: She smiled at him lovingly. the plane he had lovingly built
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a loving husband
- Her husband was loving and supportive throughout her long illness.
- She was a devoted wife and a very loving mother.
- It is a speech of effusive praise, which if it were true, would make her an exceptionally loving child.
- It is the routine and tender loving care of the staff that create the best atmosphere.
- Only good can come from loving company.
- Suddenly Anne thought of the kitchen as it had been throughout her childhood, a warm, secure and loving haven.
- They were part of her loving.
- Voices may sound loving, or angry, or anxious.
Longman Language Activatorshowing that you love someone
someone who is affectionate shows that they are very fond of another person by the way they behave towards them, for example by holding or kissing them: · She's a very affectionate child.· He gave me an affectionate hug and then left.
something that is romantic gives you a feeling of love for your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife etc - use this about places, or things people do or say: · We went for a lovely romantic walk by the lake.· Paris is such a romantic city.· I've always thought it would be so romantic to be serenaded.
behaving in a way that shows that you love someone, especially a member of your family: · Her husband was loving and supportive throughout her long illness.· She was a devoted wife and a very loving mother.
involving strong feelings of sexual love: · She longed to have a mad, passionate affair with him.· As they got to know each other better, their love grew deeper and more passionate.
loving and gentle, especially because you are concerned about someone: · When she spoke, her voice was full of tender concern.· Fleury saw an expression of tender devotion come over his father's face.tender loving care: · I was feeling rather fragile, and in need of tender loving care.
spending all your time thinking about someone you love, especially someone who does not love you: · He knew he was behaving like a lovesick teenager.
very loving and loyal towards someone: · With the support of his devoted wife, he carried on writing until the age of 73.· They remained devoted friends for many years.
: doting mother/grandparent/husband etc a mother, grandparent etc that shows that they love someone, especially someone younger, by paying them a lot of attention: · The doting grandmother smiled and chatted about how well the boy was doing at school.· She managed to find a rich and doting husband for herself.
informal expressing your love for someone in a way that other people think is silly: · It is possible to love someone without going all gooey over them.· We ended up sitting next to a lovey-dovey couple.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY the confidence he had gained from having a warm and loving family What that child needs is plenty of loving care. He’s very loving and affectionate with his sister. the loving care with which the house has been restoredCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
the confidence he had gained from having a warm and loving family What that child needs is plenty of loving care. He’s very loving and affectionate with his sister. the loving care with which the house has been restored· What could you do to make this relationship more loving?· She woke Lucy with coffee, and more loving, sure and slow.· A more loving and loved animal it would be hard to imagine.· Their dad, she felt, deserved a far more loving wife than Maud had become.· She didn't know of a more loving couple than her mum and dad.· Megan's vision of a more loving world touched all who knew her.
NOUN· The Backup New yachts suffer from teething problems, and older yachts need lots of tender loving care.· It is the routine and tender loving care of the staff that create the best atmosphere.· Nails dry out in the sun, too, and need just as much loving care as your hands!· With glass and tender loving care it can be done.· His loving care saved me from death.· Apart from needing varnish and loving care it looked seaworthy, but naturally there were no rowlocks and no oars.· Almighty Father, we commend to Your loving care all who suffer; grant them patience.· Voice over Millie will need tender loving care and a lot of medical treatment before going home.
· No one on earth had such a loving family, no one on earth felt so cooped up and smothered.
· Theo was soon changed into the loving father he believed was his due.· Stuart Carter had been a caring and loving father while exercising considerable skill in a steelworks.
· Greed, frustration, and envy so easily replace a loving relationship.· Who is to say what part of the loving relationship was generated by the bank account?· How many opportunities, how many loving relationships had been lost because of masked feelings?· On the contrary, the older I get, the greater priority I give to a loving relationship.· Slowly but inevitably they had drifted back into a loving relationship, culminating three months ago in their engagement.· Now he freely admits to being gay and to having had a stable, loving relationship with another man.· But he helps her get over her hang-ups and together they start a loving relationship.
· Their dad, she felt, deserved a far more loving wife than Maud had become.· The confidence he had gained from having a loving wife was being undermined by a feeling of rejection from the public.· She is beautiful and benign and the embodiment of all the finest qualities of a loyal and loving wife.· And at last, Clare felt nothing but love for this passionate, loving wife of his.· You left a loving wife and a happy home to serve king and country and this was how they treated you.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- Mom gave us kids a lot of tender loving care.
- Right now I just need some tender loving care.
- At some level they still cling to the idea that tender loving care is the only factor in raising kids.
- Hospitals needed some one to give tender loving care to chil-dren, social agencies had various similar needs, and so on.
- It is the routine and tender loving care of the staff that create the best atmosphere.
- Lucky patients get superb nursing care, infused with professionalism and tender loving care.
- Mandy had plied her with tender loving care until the tears had come.
- The Backup New yachts suffer from teething problems, and older yachts need lots of tender loving care.
- Voice over Millie will need tender loving care and a lot of medical treatment before going home.
- With glass and tender loving care it can be done.
WORD FAMILYadjectivelovable ≠ unlovablelovelesslovelylovingunlovednounloveloverloveliness.loveyverbloveadverblovingly
1[only before noun] behaving in a way that shows you love someoneloving wife/family/parents etc the confidence he had gained from having a warm and loving family What that child needs is plenty of loving care. He’s very loving and affectionate with his sister.2peace-loving/fun-loving/home-loving etc thinking that peace, having fun etc is very important: a peace-loving nation3done with a lot of care and attention: the loving care with which the house has been restored—lovingly adverb: She smiled at him lovingly. the plane he had lovingly built