/'lʌvə(r); `lʌvɚ/
n
1 [C] partner (usu a man) in a sexual relationship outside marriage （婚外恋的）伴侣, 情人（通常指男性）
*They say he used to be her lover. 据说他曾是她的婚外情人.
* She's taken a new lover. 她有了新的外遇情人. Cf 参看 mistress 4.
2 lovers [pl] two people who are in love or having a sexual relationship though not married 一对情侣（恋爱中的或未婚而有性关系的）
*young lovers strolling in the park 在公园漫步的年轻情侣
* They met on holiday and soon became lovers. 他们在度假时结识, 不久便成了情侣.
3 [C] (often in compounds 常用以构成复合词) person who likes or enjoys sth specified 爱好者; 热爱者
*a lover of music, horses, good wine 爱好音乐、马匹、美酒的人
* art-lovers 艺术爱好者.

n[C]
someone's lover is the person they are having a sexual relationship with but who they are not married to
→mistress
　He killed his wife's lover.
　Nicola and I were lovers.
　a pair of young lovers
someone who likes something very much
　music lovers
　animal lovers
lover of
　lovers of the outdoors