kiss of death
Ruinous final gesture
A kiss of death is an action or association that ensures failure or ruin, often despite appearing friendly or harmless.
The phrase evokes Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss: His endorsement from the unpopular governor was a kiss of death for the campaign.
Sometimes used for things that reliably destroy: Adding pineapple is the kiss of death for a pizza, according to purists.
Sudden loss of power
- ruinComplete destruction or collapse
- demiseCessation of existence
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
collapse · disaster · end · finale · nail in coffin · undoing · fatal blow · deathblow
One who foreshadows
- warning signIndicator of potential danger
- portentSign of future calamity
- forewarningNotice of future trouble
- bad omenSign foretelling misfortune
premonition · foreshadowing · red flag · writing on wall · ill omen · augury · foreboding · presage
Archetypal betrayer name
- traitorOne who betrays allegiance
- backstabBetray someone's trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
sellout · sabotage · disloyalty · betrayer · two-faced · false friend · turncoat · stab in back
downfall
Sudden loss of power
- ruinComplete destruction or collapse
- demiseCessation of existence
- destructionAct of completely ruining
catastrophe · collapse · disaster · end · finale · nail in coffin · undoing · fatal blow · deathblow · finishing blow
harbinger
One who foreshadows
- warning signIndicator of potential danger
- portentSign of future calamity
- forewarningNotice of future trouble
bad omen · premonition · foreshadowing · red flag · writing on wall · ill omen · augury · foreboding · presage · dark cloud
Judas
Archetypal betrayer name
- traitorOne who betrays allegiance
- backstabBetray someone's trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
treachery · sellout · sabotage · disloyalty · betrayer · two-faced · false friend · turncoat · stab in back · perfidy
Achilles heel
Singular fatal vulnerability
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
handicap · curse · poison · toxicity · bane · ruination · millstone · albatross · burden · deadweight
- kissespeck, smooch, snog, buss, smack
- death idiomsdead end, dead serious, dead wrong, dead tired, dead weight
- underworld slangsnitch, rat out, hitman, capo, consigliere
- Motorcycle Trickswheelie, stoppie, backflip, superman, no-hander
- Biblical ExpressionsGarden of Eden, David and Goliath, Good Samaritan, prodigal son, forbidden fruit
- doomdoomsday, impending doom, doom and gloom, doomed, sense of doom
kiss of deathkiss of life
Rescue breathing technique
lifeline · saving grace · godsend · turning point · game changer
kiss of deathblessing
Prayer seeking divine favor
benediction · seal of approval · divine favor · stamp of approval · good omen
kiss of deathgolden ticket
Pass granting rare access
stamp of approval · seal of approval · endorsement · vote of confidence · ticket to success
death, kiss, kissing, kissed, kisses, kisser, kissy, kissable