under pain of death



under pain of death

With the threat of dying or being executed as a punishment. (Sometimes used hyperbolically.) The prisoners were forced to march under pain of death from the POW camp across the burning desert. I am under strict instructions by my wife not to leave the house in disarray by the time she comes back from her trip, under pain of death!
See also: death, of, pain

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Rebeckahrə-BEK-əEnglish (Rare)
Felicidade-Portuguese
Jaron (2)-English (Modern)
Eskarne-Basque
Velvela-Yiddish
Armel-French