Definition

Adverb 1. At the point of death; in a final, desperate, or extreme situation: Used to describe actions taken or conditions existing when someone is dying or when a situation has reached its most critical, last-resort stage.

Usage and Examples

• The priest was called to administer the last rites to the patient .
• The company, , agreed to the hostile takeover to avoid total bankruptcy.
• Decisions made are often rushed and not fully considered.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used in legal, medical, and formal contexts to describe actions taken under the most severe circumstances.
• It can describe not only physical death but also the figurative "death" or collapse of an institution, plan, or situation.
• Usage Note: It is a formal, Latin-derived term typically used in written English or formal speech.

Variants and Related Words

• Extreme (adjective): Reaching a high or the highest degree; very severe.
• Extremity (noun): The furthest point or limit; a condition of extreme adversity.

Synonyms

• At death's door
• In a desperate situation
• As a last resort
• In dire straits

Idioms and Related Phrases

• At the eleventh hour: At the last possible moment.
• With one's back against the wall: In a desperate situation with no easy way out.

Adverb

1. at the point of death