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View synonyms for life-and-death

life-and-death

[ lahyf-uhn-deth ]

adjective

  1. 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.



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Word History and Origins

Origin of life-and-death1

First recorded in 1680–90
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Idioms and Phrases

see matter of life and death .
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Example Sentences

Israel and the U.S. have a life-and-death interest in maintaining their technological advantage.

Important issues—in some cases, life-and-death issues—are at stake.

Bashar also is in a life-and-death struggle to survive today.

My colleagues and I made life-and-death decisions minute by minute for five to six hours a day, five to six days a week.

But this is a life-and-death lifestyle, and a very diverse population.

The man drove along the rough unmade roads as only an American farmer can drive in a life-and-death hurry.

It was as though a young eagle had brought a flying panther to bay, and forced him to a life-and-death struggle.

My brother, thou must pray for a soul; struggle, as with life-and-death energy, to get back thy soul!

The mask was now discarded, and it became evident that we were engaged in a life-and-death struggle.

The result would be two great camps, each preparing for a new and greater life-and-death struggle.

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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lifelife annuity