kiss of life

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

mouth-to-mouth resuscitation given to revive someone who is not breathing

Word picture

A rescue breath delivered mouth to mouth is pictured as a kiss capable of returning life to someone.

Example

“The lifeguard gave the unconscious swimmer the kiss of life until the paramedics arrived.”

Dictionary details

Component words

kiss life

Tags

health

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

kiss and make up Neutral · CEFR B1

to reconcile and become friendly again after an argument

not on your life Informal · CEFR B1

used to refuse a suggestion in the strongest possible terms

kiss and tell Neutral · CEFR B2

to reveal private or intimate information that was shared in confidence

kiss of death Neutral · CEFR B2

something that seems helpful but instead causes eventual failure or ruin

alive and kicking Neutral · CEFR B1

still healthy, active, or functioning despite age or difficulty

out and about Informal · CEFR B1

away from home and actively going to places or doing ordinary activities

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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