Find the word definition

WordNet
for dear life

adv. as though your life was at stake; "he was running for dear life"

Usage examples of "for dear life".

Aided and abetted by a society clinging to its medieval concepts for dear life, they forced him to suicide.

Involuntarily she had grabbed hold of the gatepost and was hanging on for dear life.

And he sent out a perfect volley of orders as the _Balliol College_ heeled gently and lifted to the first puffs of wind, and then I found myself tailing on a rope with the others, hauling for dear life and wondering what the d---l would happen next.

Although, in any other situation, Finderkeeper would have taken a moment to pick out several of the best weathered rocks for his pouch, in this particular situation he grabbed the armored leg that had connected with his ribcage and held on for dear life.

I grabbed him, hanging on for dear life, but all he had to do was give his arm a quick twist and my hand came loose.

Before my incredulous eyes the rodent hopped over the various parts of the raft, jumped onto me and climbed to the top of my head, where I felt its little claws clamping down on my scalp, holding on for dear life.

Almost like a roller coaster, with Bobby and Jean hanging on for dear life and Nanny flowing down step by step in the funny rolling way she had.

I held on for dear life, the turns throwing me first this way and then that.

As he scuttled to his feet, I reached out and snagged his ankle, holding on for dear life.

A vague, faraway part of him knew his hands were gripping the edge of the table for dear life, his only anchor in the world now inaccessible to him, but what touched his face, clamping his head between, might have been tongs of fire, had he not somehow sensed they were Morgans hands.

A vague, faraway part of him knew his hands were gripping the edge of the table for dear life, his only anchor in the world now inaccessible to him, but what touched his face, clamping his head between, might have been tongs of fire, had he not somehow sensed they were Morgan's hands.

She clutched handfuls of his shirt and held on for dear life while he slowly, meticulously devoured her.

I tore away along the street, the wind hissing through my newly cut hair, and to tell the truth, I felt as if I was hanging on for dear life.

They were rowing for dear life when they were ap palled to see the enormous head passing directly beneath their boat.