deathbed
n.n. the bed where a person who is dying lies. It is often used to describe the final moments of someone's life.
n. the bed on which a person who is dying lies. Often used figuratively to refer to the final hours or moments of a person's life.
He made a promise on his deathbed.
The old man spent his final days on his deathbed, surrounded by family and friends.
The dying patient's final words were a request for privacy, a quiet moment of dignity on his deathbed that his family respected deeply.
From Middle English dethbed, from Old English dēaþbedd (“deathbed; grave”), equivalent to death + bed. Cognate with Swedish dödsbädd (“deathbed”). Compare also Dutch sterfbed (“deathbed”), German Sterbebett and Totenbett (both “deathbed”), Danish dødsleje (“deathbed”).