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death definition

death (det̸h)

noun

  1. the act or fact of dying; permanent ending of all life in a person, animal, or plant
  2. the personification of death, usually pictured as a skeleton in a black robe, holding a scythe
  3. the state of being dead
  4. any ending resembling dying; total destruction the death of our hopes
  5. any condition or experience thought of as like dying or being dead
  6. the cause of death smoking will be the death of him
  7. murder or bloodshed
  8. Obsolete pestilence the Black Death

Etymology: ME deth < OE dēath, akin to OS dōth, OHG tōd, ON dauthi: see dead

Related Forms:

death Idioms

at death's door

nearly dead

be death on

to deal with in a devastating manner

do to death

  1. Archaic to kill
  2. to use, perform, etc. so often that it becomes tiresome; overdo

in at the death

  1. present at the killing of the quarry by the hounds
  2. present at the end or culmination

put to death

to kill or cause to be killed; execute

to death

to the extreme; very much he worries me to death

to the death

  1. to the very end (of a struggle, quarrel, etc.)
  2. to the end of life; always

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms death idiom

law death definition - legal

medical death definition - medical

death Synonyms

death

n.

  1. The cessation of life

    decease, dying, demise, passing, expiration, failure of vital functions, loss of life, dissolution, departure, release, parting, quietus, end of life, extinction, oblivion, mortality, euthanasia, passing away, loss, perishing, necrosis, brain death, rigor mortis, the Grim Reaper, Thanatos, Azrael, exit*, end*, finish*, finis*, roll call*, the way of all flesh*, debt to nature*, the Great Divide*, crossing the river*, crossing the bar*, the great adventure*, eternal rest*, last rest*, the deep end*, last roundup*, curtains*; see also destruction 1.

    Antonyms birth*, beginning*, life. *

  2. The state after death

    repose, sleep, separation, darkness, afterlife, other world, grave, tomb, future home, heaven, paradise, hell, purgatory, eternal rest*, Abraham's bosom*, the big sleep*; see also heaven 2, hell 1.

    Antonyms life*, living*, existence.

at death's door

failing, wasting away, nearly dead; see dying 1, 2.

put to death

execute, cause to be killed, murder; see kill 1.

to death

very much, extremely, to the extreme; see very.

to the death

to the end, to the bitter end, constantly, always; see forever 1, loyally.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

death Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • cause: Smoking causes 120,000 deaths a year - 13 every hour or more than 300 a day.

Adjective modifier

  • accidental: We are working toward no accidental fire deaths occurring in West Yorkshire.
  • sudden: Louise Neel RoSPA 102 28 July 2005 I was very saddened to hear the news of the sudden death of John Howard.

Modifies a noun

  • toll: Officials say the final death toll is likely to increase.

Noun used with modifier

  • cot: Children of non-smoking parents are less likely to have chest infections and asthma, and are at a significantly reduced risk of cot death.

Possessives

  • father: Unfortunately, Nelsons birthplace was demolished just after his father's death and replaced by the present rectory.

Preposition: in

  • custody: A Prison Service spokesman said: " Every death in custody is a tragedy.

Preposition: by

  • crucifixion: Jesus is telling Peter that he will one day face death by crucifixion for following and proclaiming him.
death usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

death quotes

   So in the simple blessing of a rainbow, In the bevelled edge of a sunlit mirror, I have seen visible, Death's artifact Like a soldier's ribbon on a tunic tacked.

-Abse, Dannie

   The theme of Death is to Poetry what Mistaken Identity is to Drama.

-Abse, Dannie

We flee from Death's bitter cup; he follows, loving and fain.

-Abu'l-'Ala¤   Al-Ma'arri

death quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"death." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/death>

APA Style

death. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/death

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