catch one’s death —(coll.) catch a severe cold that may be fatal (also: catch one’s death of cold):
- She had walked in the rain seeking a refuge and “catching her death” instead.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase catch someone dead—(coll., usually negat.) find a person in an embarrassing position:
- Never driven anything but a car but you wouldn’t catch me dead driving a minivan.
meet one’s death—die a violent death; die in a particular way:
- Mr. Green met his death through the gas-tap being too loose.