“Dead even” is an idiom used to describe two entities that are inseparable in a competition. The phrase derives from the figurative sense of “dead” meaning exactness. It is difficult to discern the origins of idioms, which gain meaning from popular usage over time. “Dead too” is another idiom used to describe two or more people or things that are practically on the same level, often in a competition. The use of “dead” takes on a figurative meaning that amplifies the words that follow it.
“Dead even” is an English idiom used when two people or things are considered practically inseparable in terms of some aspect that defines it. This phrase is often used when the two entities being described are in competition with each other. The competition that merits the phrase “dead even” could be part of a sporting event, or it could be between two people pursuing the same goal. Although the origins of the idiom are uncertain, its meaning derives from the fact that the word “dead”, when used in certain idioms, has the figurative sense of exactness.
There are some occasions where a speaker may have the opportunity to use a word or phrase which is colorful in nature and has an accepted meaning which is somewhat different from what might be expected from pure definitions of the word or the words involved. These short phrases are known as idioms and gain their meaning from popular usage in the culture over time. It is sometimes difficult to discern the origins of idioms because they may have strayed so far from their literal interpretation that they have become almost unrecognizable from their original forms. A popular idiom is the phrase “dead too.”
When using this phrase, someone is usually referring to two or more people. In some respects where they might otherwise be separate, these two or more people or things are practically on the same level. For example, someone might say, “After watching both of their performances, I’d say they’re dead on in terms of skill level, too.”
In many cases, when this phrase is used, there is a sense of implied competition between two people or things. The competition could be overt like a sporting event, or it could be a more subtle type of competition going on between two people. No matter the case, this idiom is another way of saying that two people or things are related in this contest. For example, someone might say, “After eight rounds of fighting, the official scorer deemed the two boxers even dead.”
The key to the meaning of this phrase comes from the use of the word “dead”. In some idioms, rather than its literal meaning of “deceased”, “dead” takes on a figurative meaning that amplifies any words that follow it. For example, a “dead ringer” is someone who looks not just a little like another person, but exactly like that other person. So it is that “dead even” means that two people or two things are not just close in a competition. In reality, there is no way to separate them.
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