Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The bed on which a person dies.
  • noun The last hours before death.
  • idiom (on (one's) deathbed) Close to death.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The bed on which a person dies or is confined in his last sickness.
  • noun Hence A person's last sickness; sickness ending in death.
  • Of or pertaining to a death-bed, or to the circumstances of a person's death.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The bed in which a person dies; hence, the closing hours of life of one who dies by sickness or the like; the last sickness.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The bed on which someone dies
  • noun The last hours before death

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the last few hours before death
  • noun the bed on which a person dies

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

death +‎ bed

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Examples

  • You know, that last week people make what they call deathbed appointments, deathbed pardons.

    CNN Transcript Mar 6, 2007 2007

  • A deathbed is a matter of nerves and constitution and not of religion.

    Byron's Letter to John Murray 2001

  • He was too dangerous to be released a few weeks ago, but now Jack Straw, in his infinite mercy and wisdom, is prepared to let Biggs die in relative freedom - well, as free as any man can be on his deathbed, that is.

    Better Late Than Never Bystander 2009

  • He was too dangerous to be released a few weeks ago, but now Jack Straw, in his infinite mercy and wisdom, is prepared to let Biggs die in relative freedom - well, as free as any man can be on his deathbed, that is.

    Archive 2009-08-01 Bystander 2009

  • The good father also believed that the last struggle of Champlain on his deathbed was a prophecy.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • The good father also believed that the last struggle of Champlain on his deathbed was a prophecy.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • Learning how to breathe correctly on your deathbed is a bit late in the game for health and longevity.

    The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity Daniel Reid 1989

  • The power of witness and duty that Will awarded me on his deathbed was an integral part of what I knew and must live to say.

    CLEAR PICTURES REYNOLDS PRICE 1988

  • The power of witness and duty that Will awarded me on his deathbed was an integral part of what I knew and must live to say.

    CLEAR PICTURES REYNOLDS PRICE 1988

  • One of her favorites is a macabre conceit of her own called the deathbed Oscar.

    Girl from Berlin Annan, Gabriele 1985

Comments

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  • Don't read WordNet 4 before you retire for the night.

    October 1, 2008

  • *sets up tent and sleeping bag*

    October 2, 2008