[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.
[Middle English deeth, from Old English dēath; see dheu-2 in Indo-European roots.] |
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.
Death
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).
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.
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.
Learn more about death with a free trial on Britannica.com.
