Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

dead or alive

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.62 in modern English

Syllables
dead- or alive
IPA
16
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Either dead or alive.

adj

Used to indicate someone is being sought for some kind of punishment or reprimand, and that (s)he may be killed in the process of finding, as if this was reasonable punishment.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From usage in wanted posters in the 19th century American West and, especially in popular drama about the American West in that period.

Phrases

wanted dead or alive more dead than alive

Frequently Paired Words

more dead than alive

Questions

What does dead or alive mean?
Either dead or alive.
Where does dead or alive come from?
From usage in wanted posters in the 19th century American West and, especially in popular drama about the American West in that period.

How to pronounce dead or alive

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “dead or alive”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “dead or alive”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “dead or alive” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.