Definition of the word death throes

The phrase "death throes" is a figurative expression that describes the final and violent struggles of a person, animal, or other entity as they approach death. The term derives from the Old English word "throes," which meant "birth pains" or "labors," and was commonly used to describe the agony and effort required to give birth. This meaning evolved over time to apply to the convulsive and spasmodic movements of a dying creature, as it seems to be "giving birth" to its own mortality. The phrase "death throes" first appeared in the English language in the 14th century and has since become a vivid and dramatic way to describe the last moments of life.