◙ noun 1. [mass noun] the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person's or organism's life • 死，死亡 »I don't believe in life after death. 我不相信阴世生活。 »[as modifier] a death sentence. 死刑。 an instance of a person or an animal dying • 死去 » there's been a death in his family. 他家有人去世。 the state of being dead • 死亡 »even in death, she was beautiful. 就是死时，她也是美丽的。 the permanent ending of vital processes in a cell or tissue • （细胞或组织）死亡 [Death] [in sing.] the personification of the power that destroys life, often represented in art and literature as a skeleton or an old man holding a scythe • 死神 [in sing.] (figurative)the destruction or permanent end of something • [喻] 破灭，终止，结束 »the death of her hopes. 她希望的破灭。 (figurative)a damaging or destructive state of affairs • [喻] 毁灭，破坏 »to be driven to a dance by one's father would be social death. 被父亲开车送去参加舞会会毁了社交。
【IDIOMS】
◘ as sure as death 1. quite certain • 确定无疑 ◘ at death's door 1. (especially in hyperbolic use) so ill that one may die • ［尤作夸张用法］濒临死亡，行将就木 ◘ be the death of 1. (often used hyperbolically or humorously) cause someone's death • ［常作夸张或幽默用法］置…于死地 »you'll be the death of me with all your questions. 你那么多问题要把我问死了。 ◘ be in at the death 1. be present when a hunted animal is caught and killed • 目睹猎物被捕获杀死 be present when something fails or comes to an end • 目睹某事失败（或结束） ◘ catch one's death (of cold) 1. [informal] catch a severe cold or chill • [非正式] 得重感冒 ◘ die a (或 the) death 1. come to an end; cease or fail to be popular or successful • 结束；不受欢迎，失败 »the craze for cycling shorts is dying a death. 骑车短裤的热潮快结束了。 ◘ do someone to death 1. kill someone • 杀死某人 ◘ do something to death 1. perform or repeat something so frequently that it becomes tediously familiar • 重复得烦死人 »a subject that has been done to death by generations of painters. 被世代画家画得让人厌烦的题材。 ◘ a fate worse than death 1. a terrible experience, especially that of seduction or rape • 比死还不济的遭遇（尤指受诱奸或强奸） ◘ like death warmed up (或北美 1. [informal] extremely tired or ill • [非正式] 十分疲惫；病重 ◘ a matter of life and death --› seelife ◘ put someone to death 1. kill someone, especially with official sanction • （尤指官方批准）杀死，处死 ◘ till (或 until) death us do part 1. for as long as each of a couple live • 至死不渝，永不分离 ◘ to death 1. used of a particular action or process that results in someone's death • （行动，过程）致命的 »he was stabbed to death. 他被刺死。 used to emphasize the extreme nature of a specific action, feeling, or state of mind • ［用于强调某一行动、感情或思想］极度 »I'm sick to death of you. 我讨厌死你了。 ◘ to the death 1. until dead • 到死为止 »a fight to the death. 战斗到底。
【派生】
♦ deathlike adjective
【语源】
1. Old English dēath, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dood and German Tod, also to die