dead silence
Complete silence, often uncomfortable or awkward
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dead soldier
an empty beer bottle
dead to rights
Caught or proven guilty with conclusive evidence
dead to the world
completely asleep or unconscious
dead tree edition
A printed version of a publication
dead weight
The weight of something without life; a burden that does nothing to- wards easing its own weight; a person who encumbers us and renders no assistance. Cp. DEAD LIFT.
dead works
A theologian's term (from Heb. ix, 14) denoting such works as^do not earn salvation, or even assist in obtaining it.
dead-against
Decidedly opposed to.
dead-amiss
Said of a horse that from illness is utterly unable to run for a prize.
dead-beat
Utterly exhausted, utterly "done up."
dead-horse
"to draw the DEAD-HORSE;" DEAD-HORSE work—working for wages already paid; also any thankless or unassisted service.
dead-letter
An action of no value or weight; an article, owing to some mistake in its production, rendered utterly valueless,—often applied to any instrument in writing, which by some apparently trivial omission, becomes useless. At the general and large district post-offices, there is a department for letters which have been erroneously addressed, or for which, from many and various causes, there are no receivers.
Dead-letter Office
See BLIND DEPART- MENT, and DEAD LETTER above.
dead-lock
A permanent standstill, an inextricable entanglement.
dead-louse
Vulgar pronunciation of the Dedalus ship of war.
dead-lurk
Entering a dwelling-house during divine service.
dead-man
A baker. Properly speaking, it is an extra loaf smuggled into the basket by the man who carries it out, to the loss of the master. Sometimes the DEAD-MAN is charged to a customer, though never delivered. Among London thieves and low people generally a "dead’un" is a half-quartern loaf.
dead-men
The term for wine bottles after they are emptied of their contents.—Old.—See MARINES.
dead-men’s shoes
Property which cannot be claimed until after decease of present holder. "To wait for a pair of DEAD-MEN’S SHOES," is considered a wearisome affair. It is used by Fletcher:—
dead-set
A pointed and persistent attack on a person.
deadbeat dad
A father who fails to support his child financially
deadstick landing
Forced landing of an aircraft with no engine power
dead’un
A horse which will not run or will not try in a race, and against which money may be betted with safety.—See SAFE UN.
deaf and dumb
completely unresponsive or uncommunicative
deaf as a beetle
It is not the insect that is here alluded to, but the heavy wooden mallet used to level paving-stones or drive in stakes.
deaf as a post
Quite deaf; or so inattentive as not to hear what is said. One might as well speak to a gatepost or log of wood.
deaf as a white cat
It is said that white cats are deaf and stupid. None so deaf as those who won't hear.
deafening silence
An uncomfortable and noticeable absence of comment or reaction
deal a bad hand
To give someone a difficult or unfavorable situation
deal a good hand
Give someone an advantage or opportunity
deal a hand
To give someone a share or portion of something
deal gently with the bird you mean to catch
Treat someone kindly to gain their trust or cooperation
deal with somebody
Interact or communicate with someone
deal with something
To handle or manage a problem or situation
Dean of the Arches
The judge presiding over the Court of Arches. See ARCHES.
deaner
A shilling.
deaner
A shilling. From DENIER.
dear joys
Irishmen: from their frequently making use of that expression.
death
"to dress to DEATH," i.e., to the very extreme of fashion, perhaps so as to be killing.
Death and Doctor Hornbook
In this satire by Robert Burns "Doctor Hornbook" stands for John Wilson the apothecary, whom the poet met at the Tarbolton Masonic Lodge.
death and taxes
Things that are unavoidable and certain
death by a thousand paper cuts
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
death by PowerPoint
a presentation that is boring or overly lengthy
death hunter
An undertaker, one who furnishes the necessary articles for funerals. See CARRION HUNTER.
death in the pot
During a dearth in Gilgal, there was made for the sons of the prophets a pottage of wild herbs, some of which were poisonous. When the sons of the prophets tasted the pottage, they cried out, "There is death in the pot." Then Elisha put into it some meal, and its poisonous qualities were counteracted (2 Kings iv, 40).
Death of Robin Hood
He was bled to death treacherously by a nun, instigated to the foul deed by his kinsman, the prior of Kirklees, near Halifax.
Death of the gates of Hell
She sprang full- grown from the head of Satan. ... Woman to the waist, and fair, But ending foul in many a scaly fold Voluminous and vast, a serpent armed With mortal sting. ^Paradise Lost, ii, 650-653.
death rattle
A sound made by someone dying
death under shield
Death in battle. Her imagination had been familiarised with wild and bloody events . . . and had been trained up to consider an honourable "death under shield" (as that in a field of battle was termed) a desirable termination to the life of a warrior. — SCOTT* The Betrothed, ch. vi.
death warmed up
Someone looking extremely unwell or exhausted
death's head
Bawds and procuresses used to wear a ring bearing the impression of a death's head in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Allusions are not uncommon in plays of the period.
death's head upon a mop-stick
A poor miserable, emaciated fellow; one quite an otomy. See OTOMY.--He looked as pleasant as the pains of death.
Death's-head Moth
Acherontla atropos, is so called from the markings on the back of the thorax, which closely resemble a skull. It is also called the Hawk Moth.
death-hunter
A running patterer, who vends last dying speeches and confessions. More modernly the term is supposed to mean an undertaker, or any one engaged in or concerned with burials.
deathbed conversion
A change of heart or mind that occurs when it is almost too late
deb
Or DAB, a bed; "I’m off to the DEB," I’m going to bed.
Debatable Land
A tract of land between the Esk and Sark, claimed by both England and Scotland, and for a long time the subject of dispute. It was the haunt of thieves and vagabonds.
debris field
An area covered with scattered remains of something destroyed
debts of honour
Debts contracted by betting or gambling, so called because these debts cannot be enforced as such by law.
December bride
a woman who gets married in December