at death's door

• at Death's door

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at death's door

1. (idiomatic) About to die; in a life-threatening state of health.
   • 1828, Walter Scott, chapter 32, in The Fair Maid of Perth:

     The minstrel woman who left the castle yesterday has spread the report everywhere that the Duke of Rothsay is murdered, or at death's door.

   • 1913, Jack London, chapter 32, in John Barleycorn:

     One of my Polynesian sailors lay at death's door with blackwater fever.

   • 2008, Josh Quittner, "Bill Gates: PC Genius, Internet Fool," Time, 29 June:

     Clearly, a business with $26 billion in cash reserves isn't exactly at death's door.

For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:at death's door.

• knocking on heaven's door
• on one's deathbed

• final curtain