| death (def. 7). |
[deth] 
| 1. | the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism. Compare brain death. |
| 2. | an instance of this: a death in the family; letters published after his death. |
| 3. | the state of being dead: to lie still in death. |
| 4. | extinction; destruction: It will mean the death of our hopes. |
| 5. | manner of dying: a hero's death. |
| 6. | (usually initial capital letter ) the agent of death personified, usually represented as a man or a skeleton carrying a scythe. Compare Grim Reaper. |
| 7. | Also called spiritual death. loss or absence of spiritual life. |
| 8. | Christian Science. the false belief that life comes to an end. |
| 9. | bloodshed or murder: Hitler was responsible for the death of millions. |
| 10. | a cause or occasion of death: You'll be the death of me yet! |
| 11. | Archaic. pestilence; plague. Compare Black Death. |
| 12. | at death's door, in serious danger of death; gravely ill: Two survivors of the crash are still at death's door. |
| 13. | be death on, Informal.
|
| 14. | do to death,
|
| 15. | in at the death,
|
| 16. | put to death, to kill; execute. |
| 17. | to death, to an extreme degree; thoroughly: sick to death of the heat. |
death (děth)
n.
The end of life; the permanent cessation of vital bodily functions, as manifested in humans by the loss of heartbeat, the absence of spontaneous breathing, and brain death.
