A matter of life and death Meaning in English
expression
uh MAT-er uhv LYFE and DETH
uh MAT-uh ov LYFE and DETH
Definition
Something extremely serious or important, especially a situation where someone’s life may depend on the outcome.
Usage & Nuances
Mostly used in dramatic or serious contexts to emphasize urgency. Common collocation: 'not a matter of life and death' for less important things. Formal but also used hyperbolically in everyday speech.
Spanish: cuestión de vida o muertePortuguese (BR): questão de vida ou mortePortuguese (PT): questão de vida ou morteChinese (Simplified): 生死攸关的事情Chinese (Traditional): 生死攸關的事情Hindi: जीवन और मृत्यु का सवालArabic: مسألة حياة أو موتBengali: জীবন-মরণের ব্যাপার - মৃত্যু এবং জীবনের প্রশ্নRussian: вопрос жизни и смертиJapanese: 生死に関わることVietnamese: vấn đề sống cònKorean: 생사 문제 - 사생을 건 일Turkish: ölüm kalım meselesiUrdu: زندگی اور موت کا سوالIndonesian: masalah hidup dan mati
Example Sentences
This is a matter of life and death—we need to hurry!
basic
The doctor said it was a matter of life and death.
basic
Finding water in the desert is a matter of life and death.
basic
Don’t worry, it’s not a matter of life and death—you have time to decide.
natural
People treat exam results like they’re a matter of life and death, but they aren’t.
natural
For firefighters, some calls really are a matter of life and death.
natural