matter of life and death, a

Idioms  

1. A very urgent issue, situation, or circumstance. This expression can be used either literally, as in She told the doctor to hurry as it was a matter of life and death, or hyperbolically, as in Don't worry about finishing on time—it's hardly a matter of life and death. First recorded in 1849, it alludes to such urgency that someone's life depends on it. Although a matter of life or death would make more sense, it is rarely put that way.

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Example Sentences

For our country, it is a matter of life and death, a matter of our historical future as a nation.

From New York Times

“The court will not accept as an expert advisor to it on a matter of life and death a man who defies science so firmly established as beyond rational dispute,” Judge Thomas Moukawsher said.

From Washington Times

“For many communities it’s a matter of life and death, a matter of having the American dream or being denied it.”

From The Guardian

Before the speech, Booker stressed the urgency of reform, saying that for minority communities, change was “a matter of life and death, a matter of having the American dream or being denied it”.

From The Guardian

Politics in Nigeria is often a matter of life and death,a situation perpetuated by the laws that govern the land.

From BBC