Idiom Breakdown

for dear life

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Definition

Desperately.

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"Paolo sat crosslegged on his bench, stitching away for dear life."
"As they passed, accelerating, on to the bridge and felt the first bite of the incline beyond, one had a fleeting glimpse of driver and fireman, illumined as by the fires of hell, the one tugging at the regulator handle, the other shovelling for dear life."
"After 12 successive league wins[…]Charlton were nobbled by the First Division's no-hopers, who profited from a goalkeeping bloomer then held on to their lead for dear life."
"I remember the heat, the deluge of rain-squalls that kept us baling for dear life (but filled our water cask), and I remember sixteen hours on end with a mouth dry as a cinder and a steering oar over the stern to keep my first command head on to a breaking sea."
"We want you to see that these years can be a rollercoaster ride where sometimes you have to hang on for dear life—but you will come through it."
"Each morning you get in the roller coaster car, strap yourself in, and hold on for dear life hoping you won't throw up or pass out."
"Then came the collision: it was "like a rollercoaster ride" and she held onto the table in front of her "for dear life. Then it just stopped and all I could hear was people screaming.""

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