Dictionary

death by a thousand cuts en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Lingchi, a form of execution.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A gradual decline or failure as the result of many minor mishaps.
   • There are only months left to save our railway from a vicious downward spiral. Do we choose reform of the workforce or death by a thousand cuts? Who will stand up and speak for the industry to avoid such a massive own goal? 2022 January 12, Sir Michael Holden, “Reform of the workforce or death by a thousand cuts?”, in RAIL, number 948, page 25:
   • The steelmaker warned that moving production overseas would be an inevitable consequence. One executive said: “This is death by a thousand cuts.” 2010 April 10, Tim Webb, “Heavy industry claims carbon emission targets are ‘death by a thousand cuts‘”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 21 Jan 2025:

Forms

Deriveds

death by a thousand paper cuts

Relateds

Chinese water torture