from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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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