Indicates someone is sleeping very deeply, usually due to extreme tiredness or exhaustion. He didn't even hear the thunderstorm last night; he was dead to the world.
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Not Disturbable
Used to describe someone who is so soundly asleep that they're not likely to wake up easily. Don't bother trying to wake her up for breakfast; she's dead to the world right now.
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Exaggerated Expression
The phrase is often used hyperbolically to emphasize just how deeply asleep someone is. After the marathon, Jim was dead to the world for hours.