English Reference
Idiom idiom

sell one's life dearly


To do great injury to the enemy before being killed by them.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The trapped soldier decided to sell his life dearly.

CONTEXTUAL

Outnumbered and cornered, the captain fought with everything he had to sell his life dearly.

COMPLEX

Facing an overwhelming force, the last defenders resolved to sell their lives dearly, ensuring their final stand would be remembered for generations.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    abound in one's own sense

    To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.

  2. 02

    ace up one's sleeve

    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

  3. 03

    act one's age

    To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.

  4. 04

    act one's age, not one's shoe size

    Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).

  5. 05

    afraid of one's own shadow

    Exceptionally timid.

  6. 06

    air one's dirty laundry in public

    To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.

  7. 07

    air one's dirty linen in public

    Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.

  8. 08

    albatross around one's neck

    A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.

Last updated August 10, 2026