death before dishonor

American

[deth bi-fawr dis-on-er] / ˈdɛθ bɪˌfɔr dɪsˈɒn ər /

idiom

(used to indicate that one would rather die than do something shameful or disgraceful, such as surrender.)

First recorded in 1635–45

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

death before dishonor

"Be it so; death before dishonor," replied the commander firmly.

From Stand By The Union by L. J. (Lewis Jesse) Bridgman

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023