the kiss of death

kiss of death

An action, event, or association that causes inevitable ruin or failure. An allusion to Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus Christ, during which Judas kissed Jesus as a way of identifying him to those who would put him to death. The company's connection to the disgraced media mogul will likely prove to be its kiss of death. The president refused to stand by the senator during the crisis—essentially giving him the kiss of death.
See also: death, kiss, of

kiss of death

An action or relationship that is ultimately ruinous. For example, Some regard a royal divorce as a kiss of death to the monarchy. This term alludes to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, who kissed him as a way of identifying him to the soldiers who came to arrest him (Matthew 26: 47-49). It dates only from about 1940 but was previously called a Judas kiss.
See also: death, kiss, of

the kiss of death

COMMON If an event or action is the kiss of death for something, it is certain to cause that thing to fail or be ruined. The conventional view of the timber industry is that it is the kiss of death for a rainforest. Living with other painters is the kiss of death. Note: This expression refers to the Bible story of how Judas betrayed Jesus by kissing him. This identified Jesus to the Romans, and led to his arrest and crucifixion.
See also: death, kiss, of

kiss of death

an action or event that causes certain failure for an enterprise.
This expression may refer to the kiss of betrayal given by Judas Iscariot to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:48–9).
1998 Spectator I commend the Commission's recent Green Paper and its efforts to introduce an enlightened, evolutionary discussion—although I hope my saying so will not be the kiss of death.
See also: death, kiss, of

the kiss of ˈdeath

(informal, often humorous) an action or event that seems good, but is certain to make something else fail: When the chairman said he had every confidence in me, I knew it was the kiss of death. A week later I was looking for another job.
See also: death, kiss, of

kiss of death

n. the direct cause of the end of someone or something. Your attitude was the kiss of death for your employment here.
See also: death, kiss, of
References in periodicals archive ?
ITV, regions vary Angling can be the kiss of death for some TV commissioners.
Fishing Impossible
The Kiss of Death sits atop the resting place of textile manufacturer Josep Llaudet Soler, dates back to 1930 and has been attributed to sculptor Jaume Barba.
The Kiss of Death, Barcelona
It rouses itself to scare up a light chill at the end but hopefully it's the kiss of death for this franchise.
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If the data logger hits outside that range, it's the kiss of death for your store of vaccine," he said.
New 2013 regs assure vaccines a cold New Year
Like some sort of weird pop witch-craft, every video in which J-Lo's featured her then boyfriend/husband has been the kiss of death for the relationship.
ROMANCE IS DREAD
HAVING read your article about the gritty job of spreading a mountain of salt, I was dismayed at the realisation that all of our fresh water amphibian life in our ponds, wetlands, ditches, etc will soon be given the kiss of death by councils eager to maintain roads fit for driving.
Letter: Straight to the point
It is because we perceive, and men don't, that she's one of the most overrated actors in the world, a woman who has been the kiss of death in practically every movie she has starred in.
Nicole Kidman branded 'awful' by British columnist
Kilroy-Silk appeared to take an instant dislike to Joe Cole's girlfriend Carly Zucker and his bully-boy tactics with the pretty WAG may prove to be the kiss of death for the permanently tanned 66-year-old.
ROBERT KILROY-SILK; TV SPECIALS
I HAVE to apologise to Dean Saunders for putting the kiss of death on his first FA Cup outing as a manger.
Promotion was always the priority
Another topic to receive the kiss of death is the economy.
Letter: Your Say - It's not all doom and gloom
THE GODFATHER PART II: The kiss of death between Al Pacino and John Cavale.
showbiz: SMACKER CRACKER; This week's showbiz team: Anuji Varma & Roz Laws
This sort of cynical opportunism will be the kiss of death to producer confidence and it will be the kiss of death to the whole livestock industry in England if it carries on," he warned.
Warning on meat sector price cuts
The Second Amendment Foundation and NSSF teamed up to provide a Firearms and Fiction Seminar for more than 100 romance novelists attending the Kiss of Death Chapter of the Romance Writers of America Conference in Atlanta.
Romancing the writers
She said: "This would be the best place to win my first event, but if you start to think about winning at this stage then it would be the kiss of death.
GOLF: Becky's staying focused; SPORTS ROUND-UP
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