death
death — 名詞
- deathsingular
- deathsplural
1. the moment when a living creature's body stops working forever and life ends com
死亡；去世
生命終止的狀態或事件
the moment when a living creature's body stops working forever and life ends completely
The paramedics tried to revive her, but the cause of death was a massive heart attack.
救護人員試圖讓她甦醒，但死因是大規模心臟病發作。
cause of death — common phrase for medical/legal context
Ryo's grandfather passed away peacefully, and the family gathered in Tokyo to honour his death.
Ryo 的祖父安詳地走了，家人齊聚東京悼念他的逝世。
In many countries, a doctor must sign a death certificate before the body can be moved.
在許多國家，醫生必須簽署死亡證明才能移動遺體。
death certificate — official document of death registration
The old mango tree's sudden death surprised the village — it had looked healthy a month before.
老芒果樹的突然枯死讓全村人很驚訝——一個月前它看起來還很健康。
death of [plant] — extended use to living things other than humans
- cause of death
- death certificate
- sudden death
- death rate
- death toll
- death sentence
- die a natural death
- die a violent death
文法句型
death + of + [person/animal]
die a + adjective + death
用法筆記
This sense can refer to the death of any living organism, not only humans. The phrase 'cause of death' is extremely common in medical and legal English.
常見錯誤
2. used after adjectives such as 'bored', 'scared', or 'tired' to mean 'extremely'
到極點；要命
形容詞後強調程度極深
used after adjectives such as 'bored', 'scared', or 'tired' to mean 'extremely' or 'to an unbearable degree'
Hannah was bored to death during the three-hour lecture on soil composition.
Hannah 在那場長達三小時的土壤成分講座中無聊得要命。
bored to death — most common intensifier use
Little Mateo was scared to death of the loud fireworks on New Year's Eve.
小 Mateo 被跨年夜的巨大煙火嚇得要死。
scared to death — expressing extreme fear
After ten years of the same daily routine, Sari felt sick to death of her office job.
同樣的日常工作做了十年之後，Sari 對她的辦公室工作厭惡到了極點。
sick to death of — expressing extreme annoyance
The children were tickled to death when the clown pulled a live rabbit out of his hat.
小丑從帽子裡變出一隻活兔子時，孩子們高興極了。
- bored to death
- scared to death
- sick to death
- tickled to death
- frightened to death
- extremely
neutral, works across all registers
- to bits / to pieces
British informal alternative, as in 'thrilled to bits'
文法句型
[adjective] + to death
用法筆記
Only a limited set of adjectives commonly combine with 'to death': bored, scared, frightened, tired, sick, tickled. This pattern is informal and would sound unnatural in formal academic writing.
常見錯誤
3. continuing up to the moment someone dies; used in fixed phrases that emphasise l
至死；終生
持續到生命結束
continuing up to the moment someone dies; used in fixed phrases that emphasise loyalty, determination, or a struggle that only ends when one person dies
The two rival gangs fought to the death over control of the neighbourhood market.
兩個敵對幫派為了爭奪社區市場的控制權，鬥到你死我活。
fight to the death — physical struggle ending only when one side dies
Constanza remained faithful unto death to the promises she had made to her late husband.
Constanza 對她已故丈夫許下的承諾，至死不渝。
faithful unto death — expressing lifelong loyalty
The defenders knew they must hold the bridge to the death or the enemy would take the city.
守軍知道他們必須死守那座橋，否則敵軍就會攻佔城市。
hold [something] to the death — military determination
Nia swore she would defend her family's farm to the death against the land developers.
Nia 發誓她會誓死保衛家族的農場，對抗土地開發商。
- fight to the death
- faithful unto death
- hold to the death
- defend to the death
- to the bitter end
similar determination but does not necessarily involve literal death
- for life
same meaning of permanence but without the violent struggle connotation
文法句型
to the death
unto death
fight + to the death
用法筆記
This sense appears almost exclusively in set phrases. It is often used dramatically and may sound old-fashioned in everyday conversation outside of fixed expressions like 'fight to the death'.
常見錯誤
4. a person, thing, or event that causes the end of a person's life, or the complet
致命；毀滅
導致死亡或徹底失敗的因素
a person, thing, or event that causes the end of a person's life, or the complete destruction or failure of something that is not alive, such as a business, tradition, or plan
The opening of the big supermarket was the death of the small grocery shops in the town.
大型超市的開業，導致鎮上的小雜貨店全部倒閉。
the death of [business] — the cause of failure
Polluted well water proved to be the death of many early settlers in the region.
受污染的水井導致該地區許多早期移民喪生。
Cheap streaming services with original shows have spelled the death of many traditional cable television channels.
擁有原創節目的廉價串流服務，已經宣告了許多傳統有線電視頻道的終結。
spell the death of — predicting or causing the end of something
The new highway through the forest will mean the death of several endangered species living there.
穿越森林的新高速公路意味著當地幾種瀕危物種將走向滅絕。
- the death of
- be the death of
- spell the death of
- mean the death of
- prove the death of
- ruin
focuses on financial or social collapse; less final than 'death'
- destruction
more violent and physical; suggests active demolition
- downfall
suggests a fall from a previous high position
文法句型
the death + of + [something]
be the death of + [someone/something]
用法筆記
When used in 'be the death of [someone]', this phrase is often light-hearted in modern conversation ('This job will be the death of me!'), but in literary or news contexts it can be literal and serious.
常見錯誤
at death's door
idiomso ill or weak that you might die soon
奄奄一息；病危
After two weeks with a terrible fever, the old woman was at death's door before the medicine finally started working.
The cat looked as though she was at death's door, but after a warm meal and a night's sleep she was running around again.
to make someone worry or suffer so much that they become very upset, or to cause someone's death (often used humorously in everyday speech)
讓某人擔心／受不了；要某人的命（常帶誇飾語氣）
These noisy children will be the death of me — they never stop arguing even for five minutes.
Rania joked that her mother's constant phone calls would be the death of her, but she actually loved the attention.
to get a very bad cold from being out in cold or wet weather
（因天氣濕冷而）患重感冒
Put on a coat before you go outside, or you will catch your death of cold in this rain.
Madison ran home in her wet clothes, and her grandmother scolded her for catching her death.
cheat death
idiomto survive a situation in which you could very easily have died
死裡逃生；撿回一條命
The mountain climber cheated death when his rope caught on a rock just before he would have fallen into the deep valley below.
Felix felt he had cheated death after his car flipped over on the highway and he walked away with just a few small cuts.
dice with death
idiomto take a very serious risk by doing something that could easily kill you
冒死；玩命
Motorcycle racers who speed at over three hundred kilometres an hour are dicing with death every time they get on the track.
The photographer was dicing with death as she stood right at the edge of the active volcano to take pictures of the lava.
a terrible situation that someone would do anything to avoid, often used humorously to describe something embarrassing or unpleasant
比死還可怕的遭遇（常帶誇飾）
For a shy teenager like Christopher, having to give a speech in front of the whole school was a fate worse than death.
Anong said that spending a whole week without internet access would be a fate worse than death.
a situation that is extremely serious or urgent, often but not always involving actual danger of dying
生死攸關的事；極緊急的事
The ambulance driver said it was a matter of life and death and asked everyone to move out of the way.
Amani told her boss that finding the lost passport was a matter of life and death because her flight left in three hours.
put someone to death
idiomto kill a person as a legal punishment for a serious crime
處死；處決
In some countries, a person convicted of murder can be put to death by lethal injection.
The king ordered the rebels to be put to death for their role in the uprising against his rule.
to do, perform, or use something so many times that people become tired or annoyed by it
（因重複太多次而）令人厭煩
That pop song has been done to death on the radio — I cannot listen to it one more time.
The joke about the chicken crossing the road has been done to death, yet new comedians still tell it.
death knell
idioman event or sign that marks the end or failure of something
喪鐘；末日徵兆
The invention of the smartphone sounded the death knell for the simple flip phone that could only make calls and send texts.
The leak of the company's financial problems rang the death knell for any hope of getting a bank loan.
kiss of death
idioman action or event that seems helpful but is certain to cause failure or ruin in the end
看似有利卻註定導致失敗的事物；致命關聯
Being praised by that unpopular critic was the kiss of death for the new restaurant — suddenly nobody wanted to eat there.
When a big technology company buys a small start-up, it is often the kiss of death for the creative culture that made the start-up successful.
to hold something very tightly because you are afraid of falling or being hurt
拼命抓緊；死命抓住
The little girl hung on for grim death to her father's hand as they crossed the busy street full of speeding cars.
During the storm at sea, the sailors held on for grim death to the railings as huge waves crashed over the deck.
at death’s door
idiomVery close to dying because of serious illness.
瀕臨死亡
After the car accident, the driver was at death's door for weeks.
Is your grandfather really at death's door, or is he just tired?
die a/the death
idiomTo fail completely, especially after trying hard.
徹底失敗
The new restaurant died a death because nobody liked the food.
Her plan to start a club died a death when no one joined.
To fight until one side is completely defeated or dead.
戰鬥至死
The two boxers fought to the death in the ring.
In the movie, the hero and villain fight to the death.
To repeat an idea or story so often that it becomes boring.
反覆提及而令人生厭
The teacher flogged the grammar rule to death until everyone understood.
That joke has been flogged to death; please tell a new one.
To make someone extremely afraid.
嚇得要死
The loud noise frightened the little girl to death.
Did the horror movie scare you to death?
To hold something very tightly because you are afraid of falling or losing it.
拼命抓住
During the storm, Sara held on to the railing like grim death.
He hung on for grim death as the boat rocked wildly.
the kiss of death
idiomSomething that seems good but actually causes failure.
看似有利卻導致失敗的事物
Getting praised by the boss was the kiss of death for his project.
That endorsement turned out to be the kiss of death for the product.
life after death
idiomThe belief that people continue to exist in some form after dying.
死後生命
Many religions teach that there is life after death.
Do you think there is life after death?
To look or feel very sick or extremely tired.
看起來或感覺非常疲憊或生病
After working all night, Maya looked like death warmed up.
I feel like death warmed up after that long flight.
A situation that is extremely important or serious, often involving risk.
生死攸關的事
Getting the medicine to the patient is a matter of life and death.
For the small business, this contract is a matter of life or death.
To kill someone as a legal punishment.
處死
The court decided to put the murderer to death.
In some countries, they put criminals to death for serious crimes.
to death
idiomUsed to emphasize that something is done to an extreme degree.
極度地
The children were bored to death during the long lecture.
I am sick to death of hearing that same song.
to the death
idiomUntil someone is dead, often used with fight or struggle.
至死方休
The two rivals fought to the death in the final match.
They were enemies to the death, never giving up.
同根字
常見搭配
常用片語
- cause of death
- death by drowning
- death from starvation
- fight to the death
- sentence someone to death