life-and-death
[ lahyf-uh n-deth ]
/ ˈlaɪf ənˈdɛθ /
adjective
ending with the death or possible death of one of the participants; crucially important: The cobra was engaged in a life-and-death struggle with the mongoose.
RELATED CONTENT
RELATED WORDS
great, notable, preeminent, big, crucial, vital, significant, radical, serious, main, principal, acute, insistent, demanding, compelling, imperative, immediate, dire, critical, necessary
Nearby words
life stress, life support, life table, life vest, life zone, life-and-death, life-boat, life-care, life-giving, life-or-death, life-saver
Also life-or-death.
Origin of life-and-death
First recorded in 1680–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Idioms and Phrases with life and death
life and death
see matter of life and death.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.