DEAD Dead, a. Etym: [OE. ded, dead, deed, AS. deád; akin to OS. d, D. dood, G. todt, tot, Icel. dau, Sw. & Dan. död, Goth. daubs; prop. p. p. of an old verb meaning to die. See Die, and cf. Death.]
1. Deprived of life; — opposed to alive and living; reduced to that state of a being in which the organs of motion and life have irrevocably ceased to perform their functions; as, a dead tree; a dead man. "The queen, my lord, is dead." Shak. The crew, all except himself, were dead of hunger. Arbuthnot. Seek him with candle, bring him dead or living. Shak.
2. Destitute of life; inanimate; as, dead matter.
3. Resembling death in appearance or quality; without show of life; deathlike; as, a dead sleep.
4. Still as death; motionless; inactive; useless; as, dead calm; a dead load or weight.
5. So constructed as not to transmit sound; soundless; as, a dead floor.
6. Unproductive; bringing no gain; unprofitable; as, dead capital; dead stock in trade.
7. Lacking spirit; dull; lusterless; cheerless; as, dead eye; dead fire; dead color, etc.
8. Monotonous or unvaried; as, a dead level or pain; a dead wall. "The ground is a dead flat." C. Reade.
9. Sure as death; unerring; fixed; complete; as, a dead shot; a dead certainty. I had them a dead bargain. Goldsmith.