death wish
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. An unconscious desire for one's own death: In psychoanalytic theory, a "death wish" is an unconscious impulse or drive, often stemming from feelings of guilt, self-destruction, or a desire to escape psychic pain, that seeks the cessation of life. 2. A conscious or reckless disregard for personal safety: In common usage, a "death wish" describes behavior that is so dangerous, risky, or self-destructive that it seems the person is not concerned with whether they live or die.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Psychoanalytic):
- The therapist suggested that his pattern of extreme self-sabotage might stem from a deep-seated death wish.
- Freud's concept of Thanatos, the death drive, is closely related to the idea of a death wish.
- Noun (Common Usage):
- Riding a motorcycle that fast without a helmet is a death wish.
- Challenging the mob boss like that was practically a death wish.
Advanced Usage
- "To have a death wish": This is the most common idiomatic phrase used to accuse someone of behaving with reckless disregard for their life.
- You're going skiing in an avalanche zone? Do you have a death wish?
Variants and Related Words
- Death instinct (n.): A synonym used in psychoanalysis, introduced by Sigmund Freud, referring to the unconscious drive toward decay, destruction, and a return to an inorganic state.
- Self-destructive (adj.): Describing behavior that is harmful to oneself.
- Suicidal ideation (n.): A clinical term for thoughts about, considering, or planning suicide. (Note: This is a conscious clinical state, whereas a psychoanalytic "death wish" is typically unconscious).
Synonyms
- Self-destructive impulse
- Death drive (specifically in psychoanalysis)
- Recklessness (in the context of common usage)
Related Idioms
- "Tempting fate": To act in a way that recklessly challenges or ignores danger. This is a milder, more common idiom for similar reckless behavior.
- Not backing up your computer is just tempting fate.
Noun
- (psychoanalysis) an unconscious urge to die