D — Deanery to Debase (Part 4 of 6)

— Death candle, a light like that of a candle, viewed by the superstitious as presaging death. — Death damp, a cold sweat at the coming on of death. — Death fire, a kind of ignis fatuus supposed to forebode death.

And round about in reel and rout,
The death fires danced at night.

— Death grapple, a grapple or struggle for life. — Death in life, a condition but little removed from death; a living death. [Poetic] "Lay lingering out a five years' death in life." Tennyson. - - Death knell, a stroke or tolling of a bell, announcing a death. — Death rate, the relation or ratio of the number of deaths to the population.

At all ages the death rate is higher in towns than in rural districts.

— Death rattle, a rattling or gurgling in the throat of a dying person. — Death's door, the boundary of life; the partition dividing life from death. — Death stroke, a stroke causing death. — Death throe, the spasm of death. — Death token, the signal of approaching death. — Death warrant. (a) (Law) An order from the proper authority for the execution of a criminal. (b) That which puts an end to expectation, hope, or joy. — Death wound. (a) A fatal wound or injury. (b) (Naut.) The springing of a fatal leak. — Spiritual death (Scripture), the corruption and perversion of the soul by sin, with the loss of the favor of God. — The gates of death, the grave.

Have the gates of death been opened unto thee?

— The second death, condemnation to eternal separation from God. Rev. ii. 11. — To be the death of, to be the cause of death to; to make die. "It was one who should be the death of both his parents." Milton.

Syn. — Death, Decease, Demise, Departure, Release. Death applies to the termination of every form of existence, both animal and vegetable; the other words only to the human race. Decease is the term used in law for the removal of a human being out of life in the ordinary course of nature. Demise was formerly confined to decease of princes, but is now sometimes used of distinguished men in general; as, the demise of Mr. Pitt. Departure and release are peculiarly terms of Christian affection and hope. A violent death is not usually called a decease. Departure implies a friendly taking leave of life. Release implies a deliverance from a life of suffering or sorrow.

Deathbed
(Death"bed) n. The bed in which a person dies; hence, the closing hours of life of one who dies by sickness or the like; the last sickness.

That often-quoted passage from Lord Hervey in which the Queen's deathbed is described.

Deathbird
(Death"bird`) n. (Zoöl.) Tengmalm's or Richardson's owl (Nyctale Tengmalmi); — so called from a superstition of the North American Indians that its note presages death.

Deathblow
(Death"blow`) n. A mortal or crushing blow; a stroke or event which kills or destroys.

The deathblow of my hope.

Deathful
(Death"ful) a.

1. Full of death or slaughter; murderous; destructive; bloody.

These eyes behold
The deathful scene.

2. Liable to undergo death; mortal.

The deathless gods and deathful earth.