to the death en · ADP
Meanings
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(of a contest, qualifier:set phrase) That will continue until one of the contestants dies.
The two gladiators fought to the death.
Within the independent government of the East Turkestan Republic, while Sabid-da-Mulla insisted upon defending the Old City of Kashgar to the death, Mahum and Nias wanted to quit the Old City for the time being, withdraw to Ying-chi-sha, and plan a second uprising.
1946 December 5, Military Information: Sinkiang Rebellions 1931-1937, page 9:
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(idiomatic) To the utmost degree.
Then, alluding with a toss of the head to the tumult in the station-yard, ‘When one has got to make correct entries, one comes to hate those savages - hate them to the death.’ He remained thoughtful for a moment.
1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 208:
Deriveds
Relateds
Translations (6)
es a ultranza (that one will die) · pl na śmierć i życie (that one will die) · ga go héag (that one will die) · fr jusqu'à ce que mort s'en suive (that one will die) · pl na śmierć i życie (to the utmost degree) · es a muerte (that one will die)