continue to live; endure or last; "We went without water and food for 3 days"; "These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America"; "The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents"; "how long can a person last without food and water?"
continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.); "He survived the cancer against all odds"
a never-ending cycle of activities and events (especially when they seem to have little purpose); "if we lose the election the whole legislative merry-go-round will have to start over"