death

Universal Words noun 1 [C] the fact of sb dying or being killed: a sudden / violent / peaceful death * the anniversary of his wife's death * an increase in deaths from cancer * He died a slow and painful death. 2 [U] the end of life; the state of being dead: Two children were burnt to death in the fire (= they died as a result of the fire). * He's drinking himself to death (= so that it will kill him). * Police are still trying to establish the cause of death. * Do you believe in life after death? * a death camp (= a place where prisoners are killed, usually in a war) * He was sentenced to death (= to be executed). 3 [U] ~ of sth the permanent end or destruction of sth: the death of all my plans * the death of communism 4 (also Death) [U] (literary) the power that destroys life, imagined as human in form: Death is often shown in paintings as a human skeleton. * Death marched in and took him away. seealsoSUDDENDEATH IDIOMS at death's door (often humorous) so ill that you may die: I suppose you won't be coming to the party if you're at death's door! be the death of sb to worry or upset sb very much: Those kids will be the death of me. do sth to death to do or perform sth so often that people become tired of seeing or hearing it: That joke's been done to death. frighten / scare sb to death to frighten sb very much: Spiders frighten him to death. look / feel like death warmed up (BrE) (AmE like death warmed over) (spoken) to look or feel very ill or tired put sb to death to kill sb as a punishment SYNEXECUTE: The prisoner will be put to death at dawn. to death extremely; very much: to be bored / frightened / scared / worried to death * I'm sick to death of your endless criticism. to the death until sb is dead: a fight to the death moreatCATCHv., CHEATv., DICEv., DIEv., FATE, FIGHTv., FLOG, GRIM, KISSn., LIFE, MATTERn.