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EyeSeeYou Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

To Die OF or to Die FROM?

Or can they both be used alike?
  

Top answer

Hello ICU I would say that when you "die of something", the "something" is the direct cause of death; whereas when you "die from something", the "something" may be the indirect cause of death. Therefore you usually "die of your wounds", rather than " from your wounds"; but you're as likely to die " from your injuries" as " of your injuries". However, it's probable that many native speakers use both alike.

— MrPedantic

  • Hello ICU I would say that when you "die of something", the "something" is the direct cause of death; whereas when you "die from something", the "something" may be the indirect cause of death.
  • Therefore you usually "die of your wounds", rather than " from your wounds"; but you're as likely to die " from your injuries" as " of your injuries".
  • However, it's probable that many native speakers use both alike.
  • MrP
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9 Answers
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Hello ICU

I would say that when you "die of something", the "something" is the direct cause of death; whereas when you "die from something", the "something" may be the indirect cause of death.

Therefore you usually "die of your wounds", rather than "from your wounds"; but you're as likely to die "from your injuries" as "of your injuries".
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MrPedantic
Hello ICU

I would say that when you "die of something", the "something" is the direct cause of death; whereas when you "die from something", the "something" may be the indirect cause of death.

Then which one would you use, Mr P?

He died of / from cancer. I think, "of".

Google:
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EyeSeeYouOr can they both be used alike?
yes

both of them mean to perish from an injury or a particular disease.
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MrPedanticHello ICU

I would say that when you "die of something", the "something" is the direct cause of death; whereas when you "die from something", the "something" may be the indirect cause of death.

Therefore you usually "die of your wounds", rather than "from your wounds"; but you're as likely to die "from your inj
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Die of and suffer from are commonly used.
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DiamondrgThen which one would you use, Mr P?

He died of / from cancer. I think, "of".

Yes, I'd say "died of cancer".

My dictionary lists both "of" and "from" as acceptable prepositions with "die", but unfortunately doesn't provide any notes on usage!

MrP
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EyeSeeYouAnd what is the difference between 'wounds' and 'injuries'. I always thought they meant the same.

Hello Eye

A wound implies a piercing of the flesh by some kind of object. A wound is a kind of injury.

So if you cut yourself with a knife, it's both a wound and an injury; if you break your arm, it's an injury, but not a woun
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MrPedantic My dictionary lists both "of" and "from" as acceptable prepositions with "die", but unfortunately doesn't provide any notes on usage!
One of my E-J dictionaries says there is a tendency as follows:

die of X
when X is an 'internal' or 'direct' cause:
(EX) pneumonia, cancer, cold, malnutrition,
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So basically wound for injury as mango is for fruit. Examples of hypernym, right?
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