Part 56

Job xxxviii. 17.

-- The second death, condemnation to eternal separation from God. Rev. ii. 11. -- To be the death of, to be the cause of death to; to make die. "It was one who should be the death of both his parents." Milton.

Syn. -- Death, Decease, Demise, Departure, Release. Death applies to the termination of every form of existence, both animal and vegetable; the other words only to the human race. Decease is the term used in law for the removal of a human being out of life in the ordinary course of nature. Demise was formerly confined to decease of princes, but is now sometimes used of distinguished men in general; as, the demise of Mr. Pitt. Departure and release are peculiarly terms of Christian affection and hope. A violent death is not usually called a decease. Departure implies a friendly taking leave of life. Release implies a deliverance from a life of suffering or sorrow.

Death"bed (?), n. The bed in which a person dies; hence, the closing hours of life of one who dies by sickness or the like; the last sickness.

That often-quoted passage from Lord Hervey in which the Queen's deathbed is described.

Thackeray.

Death"bird` (?), n. (Zoöl.) Tengmalm's or Richardson's owl (Nyctale Tengmalmi); -- so called from a superstition of the North American Indians that its note presages death.

Death"blow` (?), n. A mortal or crushing blow; a stroke or event which kills or destroys.

The deathblow of my hope.

Byron.

Death"ful (?), a. 1. Full of death or slaughter; murderous; destructive; bloody.

These eyes behold The deathful scene.

Pope.

2. Liable to undergo death; mortal.

The deathless gods and deathful earth.

Chapman.

Death"ful*ness, n. Appearance of death. Jer. Taylor.

Death"less, a. Not subject to death, destruction, or extinction; immortal; undying; imperishable; as, deathless beings; deathless fame.

Death"like` (?), a. 1. Resembling death.

A deathlike slumber, and a dead repose.

Pope.

2. Deadly. [Obs.] "Deathlike dragons." Shak.

Death"li*ness (?), n. The quality of being deathly; deadliness. Southey.

Death"ly, a. Deadly; fatal; mortal; destructive.

Death"ly, adv. Deadly; as, deathly pale or sick.

Death's"-head` (?), n. A naked human skull as the emblem of death; the head of the conventional personification of death.

I had rather be married to a death's-head with a bone in his mouth.

Shak.