What Is The Word Love

Love: Overused and Misunderstood
Chase Crosby
ENG 1123 D
Ms. King
Itawamba Community College
November 28, 2017

Abstract
The word “love” has always caught attention with its meanings. There have been many definitions used for this word throughout history, beginning with its start during the ninth century. With the examples of current use(from Urban Dictionary, Twitter, a student survey, a song, and a film) it is obvious that the definition of this word has been lost in translation in many different ways. Looking closely at the synonyms, along with the history and current use, the true definition is clearly seen through a usual worldly haze.

Introduction
As Hemant Kuma once said,”Love knows no reasons, love knows no

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “love” first appeared in the year 825. Love was first written and pronounced as “lufu” in Old English. It had many different types of meanings, but the first definition that was put down was ‘That disposition or stated feeling with regard to a person which(arising from recognition of attractive qualities, from instincts of natural relationship, or from sympathy) manifests itself in solicitude for the welfare of the object, and usually also in delight in his or her presence and desire for his or her approval; warm affection, attachment,’ (“Love,” 2017, p. 52). According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it means ‘to feel love for, cherish, show love to; delight in, approve’ (Harper, n.d.). Another great definition for the word “love” is ‘an intense feeling of deep affection,’ (“Love,” 2017, p. 56). Though these definitions talk of affection towards an object or person, in history the word “love” has been used in very different ways. In the 1950s, the term “make love” was a euphemism for “have sex”(Harper, n.d.). This term was most utilized by teenagers, using love, instead of lust, as a reason to have sex. On the other hand, the word “love” is used as a term in tennis. At the beginning of every game, the words “love all” are said to signify that both opponents start out with the score of zero. Though it is unclear as to when this began, the most

The website’s most popular definition is, ”nature's way of tricking people into reproducing"(Anonymous, 2003), showing how most people have lost their sense of the meaning of the word “love”. Something a little more alternative to describe love is “Love is giving someone the power to destroy you, and trusting them not to” (MyLittlePwny, 2006). My favorite, and the closest definition to what I believe is love, was “love is the desire for their soul” (Militant Liberal, 2005). I think this quote was quite poetic, and very intuitive.
Twitter
On Twitter, love was portrayed in various ways. One user felt the need to post, “Doing what you like is FREEDOM.#love #horses", along with a picture of him on his horse(Panthan, 2017). I wish he would have not felt the need to post. But on the more decent side of the website, a good, upstanding citizen wrote, ‘"#Love is #friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses." - Ann Landers’, (ClassicWisdomPr, 2017). This post had restored my hope in humanity and its way to comprehend