[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.
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| 14. | do to death,
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| 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.
| 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. |
in at the death
Also, in at the finish or kill. Involved in or present at the end, especially a disastrous end but sometimes merely the climax of an important event. For example, He had a hand in their breakup, but he didn't want to be in at the death, or They've done really well this year, and we want to be in at the kill. These expressions originally alluded to hunters and hounds being present at the death of a fox they had run to ground. [First half of 1700s]