Why 'drop dead gorgeous' mean very gorgeous












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I came across phase drop dead gorgeous which meaning is very gorgeous or good looking.



I want to know why this phrase have this meaning, how given words relate with? Thank you










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    2















    I came across phase drop dead gorgeous which meaning is very gorgeous or good looking.



    I want to know why this phrase have this meaning, how given words relate with? Thank you










    share|improve this question

























      2












      2








      2








      I came across phase drop dead gorgeous which meaning is very gorgeous or good looking.



      I want to know why this phrase have this meaning, how given words relate with? Thank you










      share|improve this question














      I came across phase drop dead gorgeous which meaning is very gorgeous or good looking.



      I want to know why this phrase have this meaning, how given words relate with? Thank you







      meaning phrase-meaning






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      asked 2 hours ago









      ArvindrajaArvindraja

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          Drop dead works as an intensifier in this phrase. The reference to death isn't literal; it's a hyperbolic expression meant to emphasize how incredibly stunning the speaker finds the person being described.



          It's thematically akin to phrases like "I am so [adjective] I could die" (common examples: "hungry," "happy") or "I'm bored to death."






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          • 1





            I would say heart-stoppingly and perhaps breathtakingly are more analogous.

            – choster
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            @choster I agree that they would be appropriate synonyms for "drop dead" in this example, but they reference death more obliquely, and I wanted to emphasize the specific theme of hyperbolic phrases that include death.

            – Katy
            2 hours ago











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          1 Answer
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          1 Answer
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          active

          oldest

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          active

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          4














          Drop dead works as an intensifier in this phrase. The reference to death isn't literal; it's a hyperbolic expression meant to emphasize how incredibly stunning the speaker finds the person being described.



          It's thematically akin to phrases like "I am so [adjective] I could die" (common examples: "hungry," "happy") or "I'm bored to death."






          share|improve this answer



















          • 1





            I would say heart-stoppingly and perhaps breathtakingly are more analogous.

            – choster
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            @choster I agree that they would be appropriate synonyms for "drop dead" in this example, but they reference death more obliquely, and I wanted to emphasize the specific theme of hyperbolic phrases that include death.

            – Katy
            2 hours ago
















          4














          Drop dead works as an intensifier in this phrase. The reference to death isn't literal; it's a hyperbolic expression meant to emphasize how incredibly stunning the speaker finds the person being described.



          It's thematically akin to phrases like "I am so [adjective] I could die" (common examples: "hungry," "happy") or "I'm bored to death."






          share|improve this answer



















          • 1





            I would say heart-stoppingly and perhaps breathtakingly are more analogous.

            – choster
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            @choster I agree that they would be appropriate synonyms for "drop dead" in this example, but they reference death more obliquely, and I wanted to emphasize the specific theme of hyperbolic phrases that include death.

            – Katy
            2 hours ago














          4












          4








          4







          Drop dead works as an intensifier in this phrase. The reference to death isn't literal; it's a hyperbolic expression meant to emphasize how incredibly stunning the speaker finds the person being described.



          It's thematically akin to phrases like "I am so [adjective] I could die" (common examples: "hungry," "happy") or "I'm bored to death."






          share|improve this answer













          Drop dead works as an intensifier in this phrase. The reference to death isn't literal; it's a hyperbolic expression meant to emphasize how incredibly stunning the speaker finds the person being described.



          It's thematically akin to phrases like "I am so [adjective] I could die" (common examples: "hungry," "happy") or "I'm bored to death."







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 2 hours ago









          KatyKaty

          94719




          94719








          • 1





            I would say heart-stoppingly and perhaps breathtakingly are more analogous.

            – choster
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            @choster I agree that they would be appropriate synonyms for "drop dead" in this example, but they reference death more obliquely, and I wanted to emphasize the specific theme of hyperbolic phrases that include death.

            – Katy
            2 hours ago














          • 1





            I would say heart-stoppingly and perhaps breathtakingly are more analogous.

            – choster
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            @choster I agree that they would be appropriate synonyms for "drop dead" in this example, but they reference death more obliquely, and I wanted to emphasize the specific theme of hyperbolic phrases that include death.

            – Katy
            2 hours ago








          1




          1





          I would say heart-stoppingly and perhaps breathtakingly are more analogous.

          – choster
          2 hours ago





          I would say heart-stoppingly and perhaps breathtakingly are more analogous.

          – choster
          2 hours ago




          1




          1





          @choster I agree that they would be appropriate synonyms for "drop dead" in this example, but they reference death more obliquely, and I wanted to emphasize the specific theme of hyperbolic phrases that include death.

          – Katy
          2 hours ago





          @choster I agree that they would be appropriate synonyms for "drop dead" in this example, but they reference death more obliquely, and I wanted to emphasize the specific theme of hyperbolic phrases that include death.

          – Katy
          2 hours ago


















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