1 dead
Pronounced:
/ˈdɛd/
Function:
adjectiveMeaning:
1 : no longer alive or living : no longer having life ▪ Her husband is dead. He died last year. ▪ She's been dead for over 10 years now. [=she died more than 10 years ago] ▪ a dead insect/bird/dog ▪ dead trees/leaves/skin ▪ the dead [=lifeless] bodies of the soldiers ▪ He was found dead in his apartment yesterday. ▪ He lay dead on the floor. ▪ The lost mountain climbers were believed/presumed dead. ▪ She shot him dead. [=she killed him by shooting him] ▪ When we found her, she was more dead than alive. [=almost dead; very close to death] ▪ The poster said that the robbers were wanted dead or alive. ▪ He was as good as dead. [=he was almost dead] ▪ She taught her dog to play dead. [=to lie on its back and pretend to be dead] usage deceased ◊To leave (someone or something) for dead is to leave a person or animal that you know will probably die instead of trying to help. ▪ They hit the dog with their car and left it for dead on the side of the road. ▪ He had been badly beaten and left for dead.
2 a dead·er dest [or more dead; most dead] : not able to feel or move ▪ My hand was dead [=numb] after holding the bag for so long. b : very tired ▪ Our legs were completely dead after hiking all day. ▪ I arrived home from work half dead. [=exhausted] ▪ By the end of the day the workers were dead on their feet. [=very tired but still standing, working, etc.] c : feeling no emotions ▪ After the war, I was emotionally dead. [=I was no longer able to feel happiness, sadness, etc.]
3 informal : certain to be punished or hurt ▪ I'm dead if I come in late for work again. ▪ If I ever get my hands on you, you're dead!
4 of a machine or device : no longer working especially because of not having electricity ▪ The car's battery is dead. ▪ dead electrical outlets ▪ a dead telephone line ▪ The phones went dead during the storm.
5 : no longer active or operating ▪ a dead [=extinct] volcano ▪ dead companies ▪ That plan is dead for now. We've started developing a new one. ▪ a dead deal
6 : naturally not living ▪ rocks and other dead [=inanimate] matter
7 deader dest [or more dead; most dead] : lacking in activity or excitement ▪ The store's been dead [=quiet] all day. ▪ This party's completely dead. [=it is not lively] ▪ The audience was kind of dead tonight.
8 —used to describe a time when nothing is being said or done ▪ We played cards to fill in the dead time between the two performances.
9 : no longer performed or enjoyed ▪ He says that disco is dead. ▪ a dead art form
10 of a language : no longer spoken ▪ Latin is a dead language.
11 sports —used to describe a situation in which play stops during a game ▪ In American football, the ball is dead [=out of play] after an incomplete forward pass. ▪ The ball is dead if it goes beyond the white line.
12 a : complete, total, or absolute ▪ There was dead silence in the room. ▪ She spoke with dead certainty. ▪ I chased them at a dead run for three miles. ▪ The camera is a dead giveaway [=clearly shows] that you're a tourist. ▪ She fell to the floor in a dead faint. ▪ The evening wasn't all I had hoped for, but is wasn't a dead loss. [=it wasn't completely bad] ▪ He's a dead ringer for [=he looks exactly like] his father. ▪ (Brit, informal) They're a dead cert [=a sure thing, a sure bet] to win. [=they are certain to win] b : sudden and complete ▪ The bus came to a dead [=abrupt] stop.
13 : perfect or exact ▪ Her arrow hit the dead [=very] center of the target.
2 a dead·er dest [or more dead; most dead] : not able to feel or move ▪ My hand was dead [=numb] after holding the bag for so long. b : very tired ▪ Our legs were completely dead after hiking all day. ▪ I arrived home from work half dead. [=exhausted] ▪ By the end of the day the workers were dead on their feet. [=very tired but still standing, working, etc.] c : feeling no emotions ▪ After the war, I was emotionally dead. [=I was no longer able to feel happiness, sadness, etc.]
3 informal : certain to be punished or hurt ▪ I'm dead if I come in late for work again. ▪ If I ever get my hands on you, you're dead!
4 of a machine or device : no longer working especially because of not having electricity ▪ The car's battery is dead. ▪ dead electrical outlets ▪ a dead telephone line ▪ The phones went dead during the storm.
5 : no longer active or operating ▪ a dead [=extinct] volcano ▪ dead companies ▪ That plan is dead for now. We've started developing a new one. ▪ a dead deal
6 : naturally not living ▪ rocks and other dead [=inanimate] matter
7 deader dest [or more dead; most dead] : lacking in activity or excitement ▪ The store's been dead [=quiet] all day. ▪ This party's completely dead. [=it is not lively] ▪ The audience was kind of dead tonight.
8 —used to describe a time when nothing is being said or done ▪ We played cards to fill in the dead time between the two performances.
9 : no longer performed or enjoyed ▪ He says that disco is dead. ▪ a dead art form
10 of a language : no longer spoken ▪ Latin is a dead language.
11 sports —used to describe a situation in which play stops during a game ▪ In American football, the ball is dead [=out of play] after an incomplete forward pass. ▪ The ball is dead if it goes beyond the white line.
12 a : complete, total, or absolute ▪ There was dead silence in the room. ▪ She spoke with dead certainty. ▪ I chased them at a dead run for three miles. ▪ The camera is a dead giveaway [=clearly shows] that you're a tourist. ▪ She fell to the floor in a dead faint. ▪ The evening wasn't all I had hoped for, but is wasn't a dead loss. [=it wasn't completely bad] ▪ He's a dead ringer for [=he looks exactly like] his father. ▪ (Brit, informal) They're a dead cert [=a sure thing, a sure bet] to win. [=they are certain to win] b : sudden and complete ▪ The bus came to a dead [=abrupt] stop.
13 : perfect or exact ▪ Her arrow hit the dead [=very] center of the target.
(as) dead as a doornail (chiefly US) or chiefly Brit (as) dead as a dodo
informal —used to stress that someone or something is dead ▪ The old captain was dead as a doornail. —often used figuratively ▪ The negotiations are as dead as a doornail. ▪ The deal is dead as a doornail.
catch/see (someone) dead
informal ◊If you say that people wouldn't/won't catch/see you dead or that you wouldn't/won't be caught/seen dead doing something, you refuse to let others see you doing it because it would cause you to be embarrassed. ▪ I wouldn't be caught/seen dead wearing that hideous outfit. ▪ She won't be caught dead going to the movies with her obnoxious brother.
dead and buried or dead and gone
1 : no longer living : dead ▪ He's been dead and buried for 50 years. ▪ relatives long dead and gone
2 : no longer used or accepted ▪ Those old family traditions are dead and buried. ▪ That idea is dead and buried. ▪ The days of our childhood are dead and gone.
2 : no longer used or accepted ▪ Those old family traditions are dead and buried. ▪ That idea is dead and buried. ▪ The days of our childhood are dead and gone.
dead from the neck up
informal : very stupid or foolish ▪ Most of his friends are dead from the neck up.
dead in the water
informal : not making any progress : not having any chance of success ▪ The peace talks were dead in the water. ▪ His election campaign is dead in the water.
dead men tell no tales —see tale
dead on arrival
: having died before getting to a hospital, emergency room, etc. ▪ The victim was dead on arrival at the hospital. —often used figuratively ▪ Some are saying that any new tax proposal would be dead on arrival. [=would have no chances of being approved]
dead to rights —see 3right
dead to the world
informal : sleeping very deeply ▪ You can't wake him up. He's dead to the world.
drop dead
informal 1 : to fall to the ground and die very suddenly ▪ She dropped dead while playing basketball.
2 —used as a rude way to tell someone to leave you alone ▪ “He asked you for help after being such a jerk? You should have told him to drop dead!” —see also drop-dead
2 —used as a rude way to tell someone to leave you alone ▪ “He asked you for help after being such a jerk? You should have told him to drop dead!” —see also drop-dead
knock dead —see 1knock
over my dead body —see body
—dead·ness noun [noncount]