Phrase guide

life and limb

noun · 1 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈlaɪf n̩ ˈlɪm/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪm

1

noun

Meaning 1

Existence together with the bodily faculties.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

Examples

  • Those kids are risking life and limb when they go inside that old abandoned house: it might collapse on their heads.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: life and member

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

A reference to a person risking the loss of their life and injury to their limbs (arms and legs).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: henki ja terveys — existence together with the bodily faculties
  • German: Leib und Leben — existence together with the bodily faculties
  • Polish: życie i zdrowie — existence together with the bodily faculties
  • Russian: жизнь и здоро́вье (žiznʹ i zdoróvʹje) — existence together with the bodily faculties
  • Swedish: liv och lem — existence together with the bodily faculties