An Encylopedia Britannica Company

dead

1 dead /ˈdɛd/ adjective
1 dead
/ˈdɛd/
adjective
Britannica Dictionary definition of DEAD
: no longer alive or living : no longer having life
Usage see: deceased
◊ To leave (someone or something) for dead is to leave a person or animal that you know will probably die instead of trying to help.
[or more dead; most dead] deader; deadest : not able to feel or move
: very tired
: feeling no emotions
informal : certain to be punished or hurt
of a machine or device : no longer working especially because of not having electricity
: no longer active or operating
: naturally not living
[or more dead; most dead] deader; deadest : lacking in activity or excitement
used to describe a time when nothing is being said or done
: no longer performed or enjoyed
10 
of a language : no longer spoken
11 
sports used to describe a situation in which play stops during a game
12 
: complete, total, or absolute
: sudden and complete
13 
: perfect or exact

(as) dead as a doornail

(chiefly US) informal or chiefly British (as) dead as a dodo
used to stress that someone or something is dead often used figuratively

beat a dead horse

or flog a dead horse
see 1horse

catch/see (someone) dead

informal
◊ If you say that people wouldn't/won't catch/see you dead or that you wouldn't/won't be caught/seen dead doing something, you refuse to let others see you doing it because it would cause you to be embarrassed.

dead and buried

or dead and gone
: no longer living : dead
: no longer used or accepted

dead from the neck up

informal
: very stupid or foolish

dead in the water

informal
: not making any progress : not having any chance of success

dead men tell no tales

see tale

dead on arrival

: having died before getting to a hospital, emergency room, etc. often used figuratively

dead to rights

see 3right

dead to the world

informal
: sleeping very deeply

drop dead

informal
: to fall to the ground and die very suddenly
used as a rude way to tell someone to leave you alone
see also drop-dead

knock dead

see 1knock

over my dead body

see body

— deadness

noun [noncount]
2 dead /ˈdɛd/ noun
plural dead
2 dead
/ˈdɛd/
noun
plural dead
Britannica Dictionary definition of DEAD
[plural] : people who have died
usually used with the
the dead : the state of being dead usually used in the phrases rise from the dead or come back from the dead or return from the dead to mean to become alive again after dying
[noncount] : the time in the middle of the night or winter
3 dead /ˈdɛd/ adverb
3 dead
/ˈdɛd/
adverb
Britannica Dictionary definition of DEAD
: completely or totally
: in a sudden and complete way
: directly or exactly