Death
Pronunciation
- enPR: dĕth, IPA: /dɛθ/
- Rhymes: -ɛθ
Alternative forms
- deth obsolete
Origin
From Middle English deeth, from Old English dēaþ, from Proto-Germanic *dauþuz (compare West Frisian dead, Dutch dood, German Tod, Swedish död), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰówtus. More at die.
Full definition of death
Noun
death
(plural deaths)- The cessation of life and all associated processes; the end of an organism's existence as an entity independent from its environment and its return to an inert, nonliving state.The death of my grandmother saddened the whole family.
- 1879, Richard Jefferies, The Amateur Poacher Chapter 1, They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect.
- 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I:"‘Death,’" quoted Warwick, with whose mood the undertaker's remarks were in tune, "‘is the penalty that all must pay for the crime of living.’"
- 2013, Philip J. Bushnell, Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance, Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer.
- (often capitalized) The personification of death as a hooded figure with a scythe; the Grim Reaper.When death walked in, a chill spread through the room.
- (the death) The collapse or end of something.England scored a goal at the death to even the score at one all.