catch your death

catch (one's) death (of cold)

To become ill with the common cold. This phrase is often used hyperbolically. You'll catch your death of cold if you leave the house with wet hair—it's freezing outside! I hate going to the doctor's office—I always seem to catch my death after being around all those germs!
See also: catch, death
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

catch your death (of cold)

catch a severe cold or chill. informal
See also: catch, death
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

catch your ˈdeath (of cold)

(old-fashioned, informal) (usually said to emphasize how cold it is) get a very bad cold: Don’t go out without your coat — you’ll catch your death.
See also: catch, death
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • catch (one's) death (of cold)
  • catch death
  • catch one's death (of cold)
  • take (one's) death (of cold)
  • you'll catch your death of cold
  • take cold
  • catch a cold
  • catch one's death (of a cold), to
  • Baby it’s cold outside
  • baby, it's cold outside
References in classic literature
You shall trudge away, and do your errands in the rain, and if you catch your death and ruin your bonnet, it's no more than you deserve.
Little Women
"You'll get drenched to the skin; you'll catch your death!" said Peechy Prauw affectionately.
Adventure of the Black Fisherman
On Broad Street, while redblooded males ogled the seminaked bodies before them, I tutted: "You'll catch your death, my girl" and "for goodness sake, do up those buttons."
THE SNOWFLAKE GENERATION!
Come on, it's winter ladies, you'll catch your death!
what'shot THEY'VE NAILED IT [...]
"Put your cardi back on, you'll catch your death from exploitation," boom those who hate it.
STORM IN A D-CUP; Hannah tackles the Page 3 issue from her vantage point on the fence
If you want to tap into the trend, we suggest wearing them with a few more clothes than these two - or you might catch your death!
Thigh-high boots; THEN
"Dad tells me 'You'll catch your death, Cath!' she laughs.
Corrie stars ask me what they should eat ... I'm the resident nutritionist! Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley tells EMILY RETTER how she worked to slim down from a size 22 to a svelte size 10 fame Fit for
Phrases such as: 'are you really going out like that?' and 'wear a coat, you'll catch your death' slip effortlessly from your lips.
The Mother's Day gift that keeps on giving
You'll catch your death. I'll fix us some lunch.' 'But it's dark out,' she objected.
MORNING SERIAL
But while it was a balmy 23C in Miami yesterday, in London on Thursday night it was only 2C, so word of advice, Justin - your buff new look is impressive but put a shirt on or you'll catch your death.
Don't turn out like Iggy..stay off drugs; WARNING TO THE BIEBER
One friend reflected that she and my father had "lived great lives", another more simply that "the world is less of a place", while a third recounted that when she visited my mother in the last fragile weeks of her life, Rene drifted out of sleep, opened her eyes and muttered: "You should be wearing a jumper, you'll catch your death of cold."
Rene Chaplin 1920-2012; Obituaries
"You'll catch your death of a cold" was a literal statement a generation before it became a comical clich.
Thankfully, we've evolved beyond spanking
The nostalgic opening track, Catch Your Death, echoes the cautionary words of a myriad bygone mothers, and Rules of Life is in similar vein, delivered by the world-weary veteran of numerous lessons learned.
Fuelling a classy country sound; This week on the roots music scene ALAN NICHOL seeks long-awaited Diesel Therapy
It just shows what your mum used to say about 'cover up or you'll catch your death of cold' is a load of rubbish!" The T-shirt and shorts helped to raise Parry's national profile long before he moved into management.
Footballs hardest man becomes Mr Millenium
So get your shirts back on - you could catch your death..In their mind, it isn't warm with a breeze - it's a scorcher and the lovely lay-deez deserve a treat
'Hot' lads do a strip-Tees in the sun