Wiktionary
cheat the hangman
vb. 1 (context ironic English) To die, especially by suicide, while under sentence of death, or while guilty of a capital crime; also to kill someone else who is in such a state 2 To escape punishment for one's crimes; to get away with something
Usage examples of "cheat the hangman".
How ironic to cheat the hangman only to die of influenza or something!
But there's a lot of us aboard, your highness, people who spent their last sparkler to cheat the hangman one more time.
But theres a lot of us aboard, your highness, people who spent their last sparkler to cheat the hangman one more time.
When I look at you I feel it's almost a pity I've enabled you to cheat the hangman.