die by
die by (something)
To die from a particular cause. That neighborhood is very dangerous, and I don't want you to die by gunshot!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
die by something
to perish by a particular cause or device. (Often refers to execution as a death sentence.) He died by electrocution. She was condemned to die by hanging.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.