Definition

Adverb * With extreme urgency, effort, or desperation, as if one's survival depends on it: This phrase describes an action performed with the utmost intensity and speed, motivated by a feeling of being in grave danger or a critical situation.

Usage

The phrase "for dear life" is used to modify a verb, emphasizing the desperate, frantic, or all-out nature of the action. It is an adverbial phrase of manner. * It typically follows action verbs like hold, run, cling, fight, swim, grab. * It is often used in past narratives but can be used in any tense. * The phrase is idiomatic; "dear life" does not refer to a life that is loved, but to life itself as being precious and worth desperately fighting to preserve.

Examples

• When the boat rocked violently, she held on to the railing for dear life.
• The thief, seeing the police, ran for dear life down the alley.
• He was clinging to the branch for dear life after slipping off the path.
• The engine failed, and the pilot fought the controls for dear life.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used in slightly hyperbolic or humorous contexts to describe a non-life-threatening situation where someone is acting with exaggerated urgency or fear.
  • During the roller coaster's first drop, I closed my eyes and screamed for dear life.
  • I'm not good at karaoke, but when they called my name, I sang for dear life just to get through the song.

Variants and Related Words

• For one's life: A less common variant with the same meaning.
  • He ran for his life from the angry dog.
• Desperately (adv.): In a way that shows despair or urgency.
• Frantically (adv.): In a hurried, excited, or chaotic manner.

Synonyms

• Desperately
• Frantically
• With all one's might
• As if one's life depended on it

Related Idioms

• To run for your life: To run away very quickly to escape immediate danger. (This is a specific verb phrase using the core idiom).
• To hold on for dear life: To grip something very tightly to avoid falling or being thrown. (This is a specific verb phrase using the core idiom).
• A matter of life and death: A situation of the utmost seriousness where survival is at stake. (This related idiom describes the , while "for dear life" describes the within it).

Adverb

1. as though your life was at stake
   • he was running for dear life