death throe
noun/ˈdɛθ θɹoʊ/
1
In plural Struggle that is followed by death.
2
In plural The final movements or sounds, often erratic, of a living being as it dies.
- In her death throes, she made a sound and reached outward.
- One thing, however, was certain, the death throes ceased - at first I thought because he had got beyond them, and crossed the awful river.1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
3
Figuratively, In plural The final actions or output of a machine or other object before it ceases to function.
- As part of its death throes, the printer made a grinding sound and then never worked again.
- Related terms
- on one's last legs, in articulo mortis, at death's door, death rattle