Idioms

a matter of life and death

This page is about the idiom a matter of life and death

Meaning

If something is a matter of life and death, it's extremely important and it could involve someone's survival.

For example

  • Education about HIV and AIDS is a matter of life and death. If people aren't told to protect themselves with condoms, they could die from the disease.

  • Getting someone to hospital quickly after an accident or a heart attack is a matter of life and death. Just a few minutes can make all the difference.

Quick Quiz

Al says one of the issues we face that's a matter of life and death for the whole planet is

a. global warming

b. illegal immigration

c. copyright infringement
a) global warming b) illegal immigration c) copyright infringement
a matter of life and death

Learn idioms easily with
Common English Idioms PDF ebook!

Common English Idioms

Contributor: Matt Errey