What does "lack-life" mean?
Represented in such a way as to show important characteristics, rather than in a realistic or literal manner; stylized; abstract.
Lack-life
adj
adj ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Represented in such a way as to show important characteristics, rather than in a realistic or literal manner; stylized; abstract.
- Grammar: lack-life is listed as adj.
- Useful contrasts: lifelike, naturalistic, realistic.
- Usage evidence: What influence the decorative motives of Egypt and Assyria, imported by the Phoenicians, had upon the early artists of Greece, it is again, as yet, very difficult to say, and we have to glean such scanty information as we can from what exists of archaic Greek art in pre-Phoenician strata, compared with such ancient Phoenician remains as are entirely destitute of any admixture of Greek influence. Such is the surpassing value of these Phoenician shields, the most ancient metal shields yet discovered. They belong to an epoch when the Greek race was in its youth, when the springs of its mind were fresh, when it was most likely to be influenced by external agents, and such objects were the first to introduce the young and aspiring Greek to the rigid, severe, monotonous, mysterious, and impenetrable forms of Egypt, and to the dreamy, lack-life, symbolic and ideal creations of the Assyrians.
How to use "lack-life"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lack-life" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
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Check whether "lack-life" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Represented in such a way as to show important characteristics, rather than in a realistic or literal manner; stylized; abstract. nonce-word
"What influence the decorative motives of Egypt and Assyria, imported by the Phoenicians, had upon the early artists of Greece, it is again, as yet, very difficult to say, and we have to glean such scanty information as we can from what exists of archaic Greek art in pre-Phoenician strata, compared with such ancient Phoenician remains as are entirely destitute of any admixture of Greek influence. Such is the surpassing value of these Phoenician shields, the most ancient metal shields yet discovered. They belong to an epoch when the Greek race was in its youth, when the springs of its mind were fresh, when it was most likely to be influenced by external agents, and such objects were the first to introduce the young and aspiring Greek to the rigid, severe, monotonous, mysterious, and impenetrable forms of Egypt, and to the dreamy, lack-life, symbolic and ideal creations of the Assyrians."
Antonyms
Example
"What influence the decorative motives of Egypt and Assyria, imported by the Phoenicians, had upon the early artists of Greece, it is again, as yet, very difficult to say, and we have to glean such scanty information as we can from what exists of archaic Greek art in pre-Phoenician strata, compared with such ancient Phoenician remains as are entirely destitute of any admixture of Greek influence. Such is the surpassing value of these Phoenician shields, the most ancient metal shields yet discovered. They belong to an epoch when the Greek race was in its youth, when the springs of its mind were fresh, when it was most likely to be influenced by external agents, and such objects were the first to introduce the young and aspiring Greek to the rigid, severe, monotonous, mysterious, and impenetrable forms of Egypt, and to the dreamy, lack-life, symbolic and ideal creations of the Assyrians."
Common questions
How do you use "lack-life" in a sentence?
What influence the decorative motives of Egypt and Assyria, imported by the Phoenicians, had upon the early artists of Greece, it is again, as yet, very difficult to say, and we have to glean such scanty information as we can from what exists of archaic Greek art in pre-Phoenician strata, compared with such ancient Phoenician remains as are entirely destitute of any admixture of Greek influence. Such is the surpassing value of these Phoenician shields, the most ancient metal shields yet discovered. They belong to an epoch when the Greek race was in its youth, when the springs of its mind were fresh, when it was most likely to be influenced by external agents, and such objects were the first to introduce the young and aspiring Greek to the rigid, severe, monotonous, mysterious, and impenetrable forms of Egypt, and to the dreamy, lack-life, symbolic and ideal creations of the Assyrians.
Etymology
From lack + life.