death

- definition

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Thesaurus

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noun

/deθ/

singular	death
plural	deaths

1
[uncountable] the state of being dead
It was clear that Sandra was very close to death.
bleed/starve/burn etc to death:
These people will starve to death unless they receive help soon.
stab/kick/beat etc someone to death:
Two of the prisoners were beaten to death by the guards.
escape death (=avoid being killed):
The couple narrowly escaped death when their car skidded off the road.
the cause of death:
The doctor said that the cause of death was brain damage.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
2
[countable] an occasion when someone dies
the rising number of deaths on the roads every year
There has recently been a death in their family.
deaths from cancer/disease/traffic accidents etc:
The programme is aimed at reducing the number of deaths from cancer.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
3
[singular] the time when something ends or the fact that it ends
death of:
the death of apartheid in South Africa
spell the death of something (=cause the end of it):
These regulations could spell the death of the industry.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death

phrases

at death’s door
informal
very ill and likely to die
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
be in at the death (of something)
informal
to be present when something ends or someone suffers defeat, especially because you are pleased about it
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
do something to death
to do something so much that it becomes very boring
The alien invasion movie has been done to death.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
look/feel like death warmed up
informal
to look or feel very ill
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
to death
informal
very or very much
be bored/scared/frightened/worried etc to death:
It went on for hours – we were all bored to death!
be sick to death of (=have seen, heard, or had so much of someone or something that you now hate them):
I’m sick to death of people complaining all the time!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
someone/something will be the death of me
often humorous
used for saying that someone or something annoys, upsets, or worries you very much
That child will be the death of me.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death
you’ll catch your death (of cold)
spoken
used for warning someone that if they go outside when it is cold or wet they will become ill
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of death

showmance

a romantic relationship between two members of the cast of a play, film or television series

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a thick, wet, unpleasant substance that covers something

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able to be read and understood by people

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death

What are red words?

Thesaurus

Related thesaurus entries

phrases

at death’s door

be in at the death (of something)

do something to death

look/feel like death warmed up

to death

someone/something will be the death of me

you’ll catch your death (of cold)

showmance

Word of the Day

slime

human-readable