death
the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism.: Compare brain death.
an instance of this: a death in the family; letters published after his death.
the state of being dead: to lie still in death.
extinction; destruction: It will mean the death of our hopes.
manner of dying: a hero's death.
(usually initial capital letter) the agent of death personified, usually represented as a man or a skeleton carrying a scythe.: Compare Grim Reaper.
Also called spir·it·u·al death . loss or absence of spiritual life.
Christian Science. the false belief that life comes to an end.
bloodshed or murder: Hitler was responsible for the death of millions.
a cause or occasion of death: You'll be the death of me yet!
Archaic. pestilence; plague.: Compare Black Death.
Idioms about death
at death's door, in serious danger of death; gravely ill: Two survivors of the crash are still at death's door.
be death on, Informal.
to be excessively strict about: College professors are death on late work, so don't even ask for a deadline extension.
to be snobbish about or toward: He's just death on anyone who doesn't appreciate opera.
to be able to cope with easily and successfully: The third baseman is death on pop flies.
catch one’s death (of cold), to become ill with a common cold after exposure to bad weather, especially when wearing clothing that fails to keep one warm or dry: The kids will catch their death waiting at the bus stop in this rain.
do to death,
to kill, especially to murder.
to repeat too often, to the point of becoming monotonous and boring: That theme has been done to death.
in at the death,
Fox Hunting. present at the kill.
present at the climax or conclusion of a situation.
to death, to an extreme degree; thoroughly: sick to death of the heat.
Origin of death
1Other words for death
Opposites for death
Other words from death
- pre·death, noun
Words that may be confused with death
- dearth, death
Words Nearby death
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use death in a sentence
So far, little is known publicly about the ransomware strain or the attackers involved in the infection, which began last Thursday, about 24 hours before the death occurred.
Patient dies after ransomware attack reroutes her to remote hospital | Dan Goodin | September 17, 2020 | Ars TechnicaThe best way to dampen the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic — to prevent illness and death and to return the economy to normal — is to limit its spread.
In 160 words, Trump reveals how little he cares about the pandemic | Philip Bump | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostNew cases have declined markedly from the height of the pandemic in July and deaths have declined from the spring, when more than 1,500 people a day typically died.
Courts may reconsider temporary coronavirus restrictions as pandemic drags on | Anne Gearan, Karin Brulliard | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostOver time, though, the percentage of total deaths that have occurred in blue states has dropped.
Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine; Biden says Americans shouldn’t trust Trump | Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostIf that were the country’s total, we would have seen the second-most number of deaths globally, trailing only Brazil.
Trump blames blue states for the coronavirus death toll — but most recent deaths have been in red states | Philip Bump | September 16, 2020 | Washington Post
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
Asia Bibi, as she is known, was arrested and sentenced to death.
The most notorious states are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where death is an acceptable legal remedy.
Father Joel Román Salazar died in a car crash in 2013; his death was ruled an accident, but the suspicion of foul play persists.
The death toll, which experts believe has been significantly undercut by secret burials, stands at 7,905.
This is the place where the Muscovite criminals are banished to, if they are not put to death.
Elyon is the name of an ancient Phœnician god, slain by his son El, no doubt the “first-born of death” in Job xviii.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature | Moncure Daniel ConwayYour sacrifice shall be the agony of agonies, the death of deaths, and yet you'll find yourself unable to resist.
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuGood is set against evil, and life against death: so also is the sinner against a just man.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | VariousFor of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength, and the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | Various
British Dictionary definitions for death
/ (dɛθ) /
the permanent end of all functions of life in an organism or some of its cellular components
an instance of this: his death ended an era
a murder or killing: he had five deaths on his conscience
termination or destruction: the death of colonialism
a state of affairs or an experience considered as terrible as death: your constant nagging will be the death of me
a cause or source of death
(usually capital) a personification of death, usually a skeleton or an old man holding a scythe
to death or to the death until dead: bleed to death; a fight to the death
to death excessively: bored to death
at death's door likely to die soon
catch one's death or catch one's death of cold informal to contract a severe cold
do to death
to kill
to overuse (a joke, etc) so that it no longer has any effect
in at the death
present when an animal that is being hunted is caught and killed
present at the finish or climax
like death warmed up informal very ill
like grim death as if afraid for one's life
put to death to kill deliberately or execute
Origin of death
1Other words from death
- Related adjectives: fatal, lethal, mortal
- Related prefixes: necro-, thanato-
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for death
[ dĕth ]
The end of life of an organism or cell. In humans and animals, death is manifested by the permanent cessation of vital organic functions, including the absence of heartbeat, spontaneous breathing, and brain activity. Cells die as a result of external injury or by an orderly, programmed series of self-destructive events known as apoptosis. The most common causes of death for humans in well-developed countries are cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, certain chronic diseases such as diabetes and emphysema, lung infections, and accidents. See also brain death.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with death
In addition to the idioms beginning with death
- death and taxes, certain as
- death knell
- death of
- death on
also see:
- at death's door
- be the death of
- bore to death
- catch cold (one's death)
- fate worse than death
- in at the death
- kiss of death
- look like death (warmed over)
- matter of life and death
- put to death
- scare out of one's wits (to death)
- sign one's own death warrant
- thrill to pieces (to death)
- tickled pink (to death)
- to death
Also see underdead.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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