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.
Words nearby life-and-death
life span, life stress, life table, life vest, life zone, life-and-death, life-care, life-giving, life-or-death, life-saver, life-saving
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.