live and die by
Be completely reliant upon.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Professional traders live and die by the daily stock market numbers.”
“In this competitive industry, small startups often live and die by the success of their very first product launch.”
“The seasoned detective lived and died by his instincts, trusting his gut feeling even when the evidence pointed in an entirely different direction.”
- 01
cross my heart and hope to die
Added to a promise or a statement to show how serious one was about being honest in what one said
- 02
die a thousand deaths
To suffer repeatedly (often mentally rather than physically); to suffer extreme embarrassment or anxiety.
- 03
die down
To become less virulent or strong; to subside.
- 04
die hard
Of a living being, to die only after a desperate struggle for life.
- 05
die in harness
Of a person, to pass away before retirement.
- 06
die on one's arse
To fail completely.
- 07
die on the vine
To fail at an early stage or never come to fruition, typically due to neglect, infeasibility, or lack of resources.
- 08
die out
To become extinct.
Last updated August 10, 2026