Phrase guide

to death

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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  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛθ

1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Until death occurs; so as to cause or result in death.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literally

Examples

  • bleed to death
  • freeze to death
  • beat to death

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

prep_phrase

Meaning 2

To a great degree; to the greatest degree possible, to excess.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: excessive

Qualifier: degree

Examples

  • I was bored to death in that meeting.
  • 1989 December 25, U.S. government Foreign Broadcast Information Service (translator), Transcript of the closed trial of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu (translated transcript of trial shown on Romanian and Austrian television), So far, they have always claimed that we have built this country, we have paid our debts, but with this they bled the country to death and have hoarded enough money to ensure their escape.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ad nauseam, to pieces

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: ĝismorte — until death occurs
  • German: er- — until death occurs
  • Catalan: a mort — to a great degree
  • Danish: ihjel — to a great degree
  • Finnish: lopen — to a great degree
  • Finnish: kuoliaaksi — to a great degree
  • French: à mort — to a great degree
  • French: à crever — to a great degree
  • French: à mourir — to a great degree
  • German: tot~ — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: halálra — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: halálosan — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: agyon- — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: borzalmasan — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: borzasztóan — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: szörnyen — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: rettenetesen — to a great degree
  • Hungarian: rettentően — to a great degree
  • Italian: a morte — to a great degree
  • Norwegian Bokmål: i hjel — to a great degree
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: i hel — to a great degree
  • Polish: na umór — to a great degree
  • Polish: na zabój — to a great degree
  • Polish: na życie i śmierć — to a great degree
  • Russian: о́чень си́льно (óčenʹ sílʹno) — to a great degree
  • Russian: смерте́льно (smertélʹno) — to a great degree
  • Russian: до́ смерти (dó smerti) — to a great degree
  • Spanish: a muerte — to a great degree
  • Swedish: till leda — to a great degree
  • Swedish: ihjäl — to a great degree
  • Turkish: ölümüne — to a great degree