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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread death by a thousand cuts #26803 04/17/2001 1:00 AM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 427 Spain Marianna addict Marianna addict Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 427 Spain I have come across this expression recently, and I broadly understood its figurative meaning from the context: slowly eroding away someone's strength or resilience until they crack. It is applied both to people and to institutions. But where does the expression come from? Is there a literal "death by a thousand cuts"? Thanks Marianna Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted death by a thousand cuts Marianna 04/17/2001 1:00 AM Re: death by a thousand cuts Jackie 04/17/2001 1:12 AM Re: death by a thousand cuts WhitmanO'Neill 04/17/2001 4:19 AM Re: death by a thousand cuts Jackie 04/17/2001 10:16 AM Re: death by a thousand cuts Anonymous 04/17/2001 2:11 PM Re: death by a thousand cuts Max Quordlepleen 04/17/2001 4:35 AM Re: death by a thousand cuts Bobyoungbalt 04/17/2001 4:32 PM Re: death by a thousand cuts wow 04/17/2001 7:30 PM Re: death by a thousand cuts WhitmanO'Neill 04/18/2001 3:41 AM Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Flat Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,915 Posts230,285 Members9,208 Most Online4,606 Sep 17th, 2025 Newest Members JerryC, blvd, Tony Hood, Wood Delivery, Forix Richard 9,208 Registered Users Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 23 A C Bowden 6 JerryC 1 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 11,140 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,974 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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