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• life-and-death
  life-and-death

  adjective

  ending with the death or possible death of one of the participants; crucially important.
• life and death
  life and death

  see matter of life and death.

life-and-death

American  

[lahyf-uhn-deth] / ˈlaɪf ənˈdɛθ /

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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life and death Idioms  

1. see matter of life and death.

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Etymology

Origin of life-and-death

First recorded in 1680–90