Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

kiss of death

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.52 in modern English

Syllables: kiss of death
IPA

22

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

1

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.

noun

Something that may seem good and favorable but that actually brings ruin to hopes, plans, etc.

Informal

Example Sentences

"The role in the soap opera was the kiss of death for Ann's career as a theatrical actress."
"Confronted with the savage defenses, many of the Japanese pilots flinched. Failure to hold formation was the kiss of death. As they reached the crucial moment of decision—push ahead and drop the torpedo, or lose nerve and turn away—most chose the latter. Turning, they lost airspeed and showed their bellies to the hungry Navy gunners, and that was it. The twenties and forties lit them like fuses. The five-inch guns "seemed to literally hammer them down," Captain Hoover of the Helena remarked."

Etymology

From the Biblical reference that when Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, he kissed Jesus.

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

kisses of death (plural)

Phrases

kiss of life

Frequently Paired Words

kiss of life

Questions

What does kiss of death mean?: A kiss on the cheek that signifies the death of the receiver, as delivered by a mob boss or one with such influence.
Where does kiss of death come from?: From the Biblical reference that when Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, he kissed Jesus.

How to pronounce kiss of death

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