in at the death

1. Literally, witnessing the killing of an animal. I refuse to be in at the death of an innocent deer just because you like hunting. No one was in at the death, so no one knows what killed the eagle. Come on, we've got to get this squirrel to the wildlife rescue—I refuse to be in at the death of a poor, defenseless creature!

2. By extension, witnessing the end or collapse of something. Did you hear that Joe's proposal got rejected? Was anyone in at the death? I was in at the death and, yes, it is true—the department won't be funding our project anymore. We were in at the death. It really was a somber scene when management determined they'd have to eliminate all of those positions.

in at the finish

Included in the ending or culmination of something. I hoped to be in at the finish of this movie shoot, but I guess the director had other plans. Yes, it is true—the department won't be funding us anymore, so we're all in at the finish of the project. You can't fire me! I co-founded this company, and I intend to be in at the finish!

in at the death/finish

Present at the end, usually meaning at someone’s ruin, but sometimes only at the climax of an important event. The term comes from fox hunting, where, in the eighteenth century, it denoted the presence of hunters and hounds at the killing of a fox they had run to ground. By 1800 the term was being transferred to other kinds of demise.