# sell one's life dearly

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sell-ones-life-dearly
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- The trapped soldier decided to sell his life dearly.
- Outnumbered and cornered, the captain fought with everything he had to sell his life dearly.
- Facing an overwhelming force, the last defenders resolved to sell their lives dearly, ensuring their final stand would be remembered for generations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.