law of mortality

Mortality \Mor*tal"i*ty\, n. [L. mortalitas: cf. F.
   mortalit['e].]
   1. The condition or quality of being mortal; subjection to
      death or to the necessity of dying.
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            When I saw her die,
            I then did think on your mortality.   --Carew.
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   2. Human life; the life of a mortal being.
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            From this instant
            There 's nothing serious in mortality. --Shak.
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   3. Those who are, or that which is, mortal; the human race;
      humanity; human nature.
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            Take these tears, mortality's relief. --Pope.
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   4. Death; destruction. --Shak.
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   5. The whole sum or number of deaths in a given time or a
      given community; also, the proportion of deaths to
      population, or to a specific number of the population;
      death rate; as, a time of great, or low, mortality; the
      mortality among the settlers was alarming.
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   {Bill of mortality}. See under {Bill}.

   {Law of mortality}, a mathematical relation between the
      numbers living at different ages, so that from a given
      large number of persons alive at one age, it can be
      computed what number are likely to survive a given number
      of years.

   {Table of mortality}, a table exhibiting the average relative
      number of persons who survive, or who have died, at the
      end of each year of life, out of a given number supposed
      to have been born at the same time.
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