dead: [OE] Dead is part of a Germanic family of adjectives (including also German tot, Dutch dood, Swedish död, and Gothic dauths) which come from a prehistoric Germanic adjective *dauthaz. This in turn came from an earlier *dhautós, which was the past participle of the verb base that eventually produced English die (thus etymologically dead is in effect a precursor of died). The word’s ultimate source was Indo- European *dheu-, which some have linked with Greek thánatos ‘dead’. => die
Old English dead "dead," also "torpid, dull;" of water, "still, standing," from Proto-Germanic *daudaz (cognates: Old Saxon dod, Danish død, Swedish död, Old Frisian dad, Middle Dutch doot, Dutch dood, Old High German tot, German tot, Old Norse dauðr, Gothic dauþs "dead"), from PIE *dhou-toz-, from root *dheu- (3) "to die" (see die (v.)).
Meaning "insensible" is first attested early 13c. Of places, "inactive, dull," from 1580s. Used from 16c. in adjectival sense of "utter, absolute, quite" (as in dead drunk, first attested 1590s; dead heat, 1796). As an adverb, from late 14c. Dead on is 1889, from marksmanship. Dead duck is from 1844. Dead letter is from 1703, used of laws lacking force as well as uncollected mail. Phrase in the dead of the night first recorded 1540s. Dead soldier "emptied liquor bottle" is from 1913 in that form; the image is older.
For but ich haue bote of mi bale I am ded as dorenail (c. 1350).
双语例句
1. "Let's invite her to dinner." — "Over my dead body!"
“我们请她来吃晚饭吧。”——“除非我死了！”
来自柯林斯例句
2. But that doesn't mean this brand of politics is dead or dying.
但那并不意味着这种政治主张已经或正在消亡。
来自柯林斯例句
3. "That is correct, Meg," he answered in his cold, dead voice.
“没错，梅格。”他用冰冷、阴沉的声音答道。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The deal with Chelsea may not, however, be dead.
不过，与切尔西的交易或许还有戏。
来自柯林斯例句
5. She hadn't followed her instinct and because of this Frank was dead.
