death
Use Death in a sentence
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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death (dɛθ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the permanent end of all functions of life in an organism or some of its cellular components |
| 2. | an instance of this: his death ended an era |
| 3. | a murder or killing: he had five deaths on his conscience |
| 4. | termination or destruction: the death of colonialism |
| 5. | a state of affairs or an experience considered as terrible as death: your constant nagging will be the death of me |
| 6. | a cause or source of death |
| 7. | (usually capital) a personification of death, usually a skeleton or an old man holding a scythe |
| 8. | a. to death, to the death until dead: bleed to death; a fight to the death |
| b. to death excessively: bored to death | |
| 9. | at death's door likely to die soon |
| 10. | informal catch one's death, catch one's death of cold to contract a severe cold |
| 11. | do to death |
| a. to kill | |
| b. to overuse (a joke, etc) so that it no longer has any effect | |
| 12. | in at the death |
| a. present when an animal that is being hunted is caught and killed | |
| b. present at the finish or climax | |
| 13. | informal like death warmed up very ill |
| 14. | like grim death as if afraid of one's life |
| 15. | put to death to kill deliberately or execute |
| Related: fatal, lethal, mortal, necro-, thanato- | |
| [Old English dēath; related to Old High German tōd death, Gothic dauthus] | |
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death
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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.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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| death (děth) Pronunciation Key
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. |
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Death definition
may be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) "The dust shall return to the earth as it was" (Eccl. 12:7). (2.) "Thou takest away their breath, they die" (Ps. 104:29). (3.) It is the dissolution of "our earthly house of this tabernacle" (2 Cor. 5:1); the "putting off this tabernacle" (2 Pet. 1:13, 14). (4.) Being "unclothed" (2 Cor. 5:3, 4). (5.) "Falling on sleep" (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39; Acts 13:36; 2 Pet. 3:9. (6.) "I go whence I shall not return" (Job 10:21); "Make me to know mine end" (Ps. 39:4); "to depart" (Phil. 1:23). The grave is represented as "the gates of death" (Job 38:17; Ps. 9:13; 107:18). The gloomy silence of the grave is spoken of under the figure of the "shadow of death" (Jer. 2:6). Death is the effect of sin (Heb. 2:14), and not a "debt of nature." It is but once (9:27), universal (Gen. 3:19), necessary (Luke 2:28-30). Jesus has by his own death taken away its sting for all his followers (1 Cor. 15:55-57). There is a spiritual death in trespasses and sins, i.e., the death of the soul under the power of sin (Rom. 8:6; Eph. 2:1, 3; Col. 2:13). The "second death" (Rev. 2:11) is the everlasting perdition of the wicked (Rev. 21:8), and "second" in respect to natural or temporal death. THE DEATH OF CHRIST is the procuring cause incidentally of all the blessings men enjoy on earth. But specially it is the procuring cause of the actual salvation of all his people, together with all the means that lead thereto. It does not make their salvation merely possible, but certain (Matt. 18:11; Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13; Eph. 1:7; 2:16; Rom. 8:32-35).
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death
In addition to the idioms beginning with death, 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 under dead.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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death
the total cessation of life processes that eventually occurs in all living organisms. The state of human death has always been obscured by mystery and superstition, and its precise definition remains controversial, differing according to culture and legal systems.
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