Dictionary

deathblow en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈdɛθbləʊ/ (UK)

Etymology

From death + blow.

Meanings

1. A strike or blow that leads to death, especially a coup de grâce.
   • He was also there at that fight when Hygelac folded under his deathblow. 1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 41:
   • Together we will finally strike a deathblow against the corrupt, bloated creature that is the so-called Republic. 2002, Rom Marz, Ted Naifeh, Star Wars: Zam Wessel, →ISBN, page 18:
2. (figuratively) Something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence, of a project etc.; a fatal setback.
   • The opening of the bridge dealt a deathblow to the ferry.

Forms

Synonyms

another nail in one's coffin (something that brings something to an end)

Translations (18)

fi kuolinisku (something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc) · fi kuolinisku (strike or blow) · de Todesstoß (something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc) · fr coup m fatal (something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc) · de Todesstoß (strike or blow) · fr coup de grâce (strike or blow) · es estocada (something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc) · ang dēaþsleġe (strike or blow) · sw pigo la kifo (strike or blow) · eo bato de morto (strike or blow) · pl śmiertelny cios (strike or blow) · ru смерте́льный уда́р (strike or blow) · nb banehugg (strike or blow) · sv dödsstöt (something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc) · eo finofara bato (something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc) · fr coup m fatal (strike or blow) · fi armonisku (something that prevents the completion, or ends the existence of some project etc) · fi armonisku (strike or blow)