Phrase guide

at death's door

adj · prep_phrase · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Alternative spelling of at death's door.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

prep_phrase

Meaning 2

About to die; in a life-threatening state of health.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: knocking on heaven's door, on one's deathbed

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Ainu: マイマイケ (maymayke) — about to die
  • Azerbaijani: bir ayağı burda, bir ayağı gorda — about to die
  • Catalan: a les portes de la mort — about to die
  • Chinese Mandarin: 瀕臨死亡 /濒临死亡 (bīnlín sǐwáng) — about to die
  • Finnish: kuolemaisillaan — about to die
  • Finnish: kuoleman kielissä — about to die
  • French: aux portes de la mort — about to die
  • French: à l'agonie — about to die
  • French: à l'article de la mort — about to die
  • Galician: ás portas da morte — about to die
  • German: an der Schwelle des Todes — about to die
  • Icelandic: dauðvona — about to die
  • Icelandic: liggja fyrir dauðanum — about to die
  • Icelandic: vera langt leiddur — about to die
  • Icelandic: vera í andarslitrunum — about to die
  • Icelandic: berja nestið — about to die
  • Irish: ar deireadh — about to die
  • Italian: al capolinea — about to die
  • Italian: al lumicino — about to die
  • Latin: moribundus — about to die
  • Latin: capulāris — about to die
  • Māori: whakahemohemo — about to die
  • Norman: au nom d'mort — about to die
  • Norman: sus l'pus — about to die
  • Norman: au pas d'la mort — about to die
  • Polish: jedną nogą w grobie — about to die
  • Polish: na łożu śmierci — about to die
  • Polish: u progu śmierci — about to die
  • Portuguese: às portas da morte — about to die
  • Portuguese: nas portas da morte — about to die
  • Portuguese: no bico do corvo — about to die
  • Romanian: cu un picior în groapă — about to die
  • Romanian: în pragul morții — about to die
  • Romanian: pe moarte — about to die
  • Russian: при́ сме́рти (prí smérti) — about to die
  • Russian: на сме́ртном одре́ (na smértnom odré) — about to die
  • Russian: одно́й ного́й в моги́ле (odnój nogój v mogíle) — about to die
  • Russian: на краю́ гро́ба (na krajú gróba) — about to die
  • Spanish: a las últimas — about to die
  • Turkish: ölümün eşiğinde — about to die
  • Welsh: wrth borth marwolaeth — about to die