do-or-die

• do or die

An adjectival phrase composed of the words: do, or, and die all connected by hyphens.

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do-or-die (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) Requiring a determined or desperate effort to avoid the consequences of failure (Alternative form of do or die).
   • 1959 February, A. G. Dunbar, “The "Dunalastair I" 4-4-0s of the Caledonian”, in Trains Illustrated, page 86:

     At that period the L.N.W.R., with its Webb compounds, was addicted to late arrivals at Carlisle and the Caledonian proceeded to make up the arrears with a "do-or-die" attitude.

   • 2020 August 24, Kaori Enjoji, “‘Do or die’ mentality brings Japanese PM Shinzo Abe to the brink”, in CNN‎^[1]:

     The do-or-die mentality gambaru permeates Japanese society, where the pursuit of a goal can carry more significance than the outcome.

   • 2021 June 30, Farhad Manjoo, “Democrats Have a Year to Save the Planet”, in The New York Times‎^[2], →ISSN:

     This could be our do-or-die moment — with Democrats holding the White House and barely controlling Congress, this may be the country’s last best political opportunity to do something big on the climate.

• sink or swim