A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

dead ship • death ship
dead ship —(Nautical) a ship without power: They saw no
movement, no living or dead person, no sign of violence;
nothing, but the ordered emptiness of a darkened and dead
ship.
death ship —a ship deliberately wrecked so that the owners
can collect insurance money: He is forced to join the crew of
a “death ship” … betrothed to the ocean floor in exchange for
insurance money.
See also: ghost ship / ghost train.
dead sleep • never-ending sleep
dead sleep —profound sleep simulating death: Well, I don’t
remember getting home but in the middle of the night I woke
up out of a dead sleep and was wide awake and sober.
never-ending sleep —(euph.) death: Hamlet sees a never-end-
ing sleep full of dreams as extremely pleasant, but these very
dreams are the “undiscovered country” which makes him fear
death…
dead weight • live weight
dead weight—
1
. (also: dead load) the fixed weight of a struc-
ture (such as a bridge on its supports): This inefficient use of
material contributes substantially to the dead weight of the
structure itself. 2. a heavy or oppressive burden: The dead
weight of this legacy has grown heavier from generation to
generation. The classical precepts have come to be a millstone
round the neck…
live weight— the weight of an animal before being slaugh-
tered: Live weight changes of calves were calculated as average
daily gain for the June to October period.
dead wire • live wire
dead wire —(also: dead line) a cable through which no elec-
tricity passes: A young carpet layer was installing carpet when
he grabbed what he thought was a dead wire.
live wire —
1
. (also: live line) a wire carrying electric current:
If you were to touch the live wire a current would flow through
your body to the ground. 2. a vivacious and energetic person:
He is a live wire and a free spirit. It is easy to see why people
are so keen to flock around him and worship at his feet.