for dear life

Idioms and Phrases

Also, for one's life . Desperately, urgently, so as to save one's life. For example, When the boat capsized, I hung on for dear life , or With the dogs chasing them they ran for their lives , or She wanted that vase but I saw it first and hung on to it for dear life . These expressions are sometimes hyperbolic (that is, one's life may not actually be in danger). The first dates from the mid-1800s, the variant from the first half of the 1600s. Also see for the life of one .