dying a death

[Judy Prince]

BB,

Anecdotal only, I've heard and used "died the death" only in the sense that
Robin cites below, namely:  "Usually something which expires slowly, never
the literal sense of death, and possibly connected with the showbiz
use of talking about a play or show dying when it bombs."

A USAmerican, I've only known "died the death" to mean a performance that
failed utterly.  Hence, standup comedy performers, or actors, or musicians
"die the death" if they're embarrassingly unsuccessful in a particular
performance.

I might right now be dying the death through over-explaining.

Best,

Judy

2010/1/19 Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> Subject:      Re: dying a death
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On Jan 19, 2010, at 2:50 PM, Robin Hamilton wrote:
>
> >
> > Sounds like a recent variant of the phrase (or cliché) "dying the death"
> or
> > "died the death".  (1,610,000 goggle hits for "dying the death" vs.
> 375,000
> > for "dying a death".)  Usually something which expires slowly, never the
> > literal sense of death, and possibly connected with the showbiz use of
> > talking about a play or show dying when it bombs.
> >
> > The original is so familiar in the UK that I wouldn't have thought twice
> if
> > I came on it, and confronted by "dying a death," I'd think it was someone
> > trying to be clever and extend the original slightly.
> >
> > Strange that it doesn't run in America -- is there a USA equivalent?
> >
> > Robin
>
> I think an adjective makes it much more acceptable, particularly "slow:"
>
> My car died a slow death
>
> BB
>
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