Meaning of do or die | Babel Free

Definitions

To act with sufficient urgency to result in either immediate success or immediate failure.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“Emanuel: Bless us, dear Fortune! / Armusia: Let⟳ us be worthy of it in our courage, and Fortune must befriend us. Come⟳, all sever; but keep⟳ still within sight: when the flame rises let's meet⟳, and either do or die⟳.”

“Lay⟳ the proud Usurpers low! / Tyrants fall⟳ in every foe! / Liberty's in every blow⟳! / Let⟳ us do or die⟳!”

“Here is a mantra, a short one, that I give⟳ you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let⟳ every breath of yours give⟳ expression to it. The mantra is : ‘Do or Die⟳’. We shall either free India or die⟳ in the attempt⟳; we shall not live⟳ to see⟳ the perpetuation of our slavery.”

CEFR level