die off v phr Cf die out v phr
Of an individual person or animal: to die.
1877 Holley Josiah Allen’s Wife 481 cnNY, He, bein’ in love with another man’s wife, couldn‘t take to her, so she died off. 1887 Scribner’s Mag. 2.474/2 AR, Whut er sight er turbbel she done hab; fust de cap’n, an’ now de onlies’ chile she got dyin’ of [sic]. 1906 Collier’s 6 Oct 21/2 sAppalachians, “I ain’t got no mammy—now. She died off a-Wednesday,” said the child with a gulp. “They’s nobody but pap at home, an’ he won’t study ’bout me, tell pay day comes, an’ he goes down to draw my wages.” 1927 Amer. Bee Jrl. 67.529/2 NY, [Letter:] I am still seeking for that gentle bee that be “handled without a veil.” (I had one Caucasian last year, and she was a wonder for that, though she died off during the winter.) 1940 Collier’s 6 July 15/4, “You eat yo’ grass and forgit dem mules,” Uncle Henry told Deemus [=a mule]. . . He wouldn’t eat, though, and he died off that summer. All the deadheads usually died off soon after being turned into pasture. 1966 Dykeman Far Family 105 sAppalachians (as of c1905), “Azalie says ‘died off,’” Frone said. “Azalie Shook’s all right,” mama said, “but you can’t pattern your talk after her.”