for life—
1. for the duration of a person’s life:
- If you help me now, I’ll be your friend for life.
2. said of smb. sentenced to life imprisonment:
- He was tried shortly after and sentenced for life.
for one’s life—
1. (also: for dear life) run or fight in a lifethreatening situation:
- An armed man who was running for his life, was in the neighborhood.
2. (emphatic, negat.) even if one’s life depended on it; however hard one tries (also: for the life of one):
- Walter, for his life, would have hardly called her by her name.