death

Etymology

From Middle English deeth, from Old English dēaþ, from Proto-West Germanic *dauþu, from Proto-Germanic *dauþuz (compare West Frisian dead, Dutch dood, German Tod, Swedish död, Norwegian død), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰówtus. More at die.

noun

1. The cessation of life and all associated processes; the end of an organism's existence as an entity independent from its environment and its return to an inert, nonliving state.
   The death of my grandfather saddened the whole family.
   "‘Death,’" quoted Warwick, with whose mood the undertaker's remarks were in tune, "‘is the penalty that all must pay for the crime of living.’" 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars
   Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer. 2013 July-August, Philip J. Bushnell, “Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance”, in American Scientist
   1. Execution (in the judicial sense).
      The serial killer was sentenced to death.
2. (often capitalized) The personification of death as a hooded figure with a scythe; the Grim Reaper. The pronoun he is not the only option, but probably the most traditional one, as it matches with the male grammatical gender of Old English dēaþ, also with cognate German der Tod. The fourth apocalyptic rider (Bible, revelations 6:8) is male θᾰ́νᾰτος (thanatos) in Greek. It has the female name Mors in Latin, but is referred to with male forms qui and eum. The following quotes show this rider on a pale horse is his in the English Bible and she in Peter Gabriel's lyrics.
   When death walked in, a chill spread through the room.
   O boy! running man is out of death ... Anyway, they say she comes on a pale horse 1974, Anthony Banks, Michael Rutherford, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett (lyrics and music), “Anyway”, in The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, performed by Genesis
3. (preceded by the) The collapse or end of something.
   England scored a goal at the death to even the score at one all.
   He may even find himself being blamed if the project dies a quick and horrible death at the box office or is unceremoniously axed by the network. 1983, Robert R. Faulkner, Music on Demand, page 90
   1. (figurative, especially followed by of-phrase) A cause of great stress, exhaustion, embarrassment, or another negative condition (for someone).
      This bake sale is going to be the death of me!
4. (figurative) Spiritual lifelessness.