Signing your life away

[karmgirl]

Does it literally mean signing your life away to be killed or does it mean signing everything in your life away?

[karmgirl]

help what does this mean?

Just been told to sign my life away and I said oh I better read it through really shouldn't I and he said no its not you signing your life away, your just witnessing me signing my life away and I said oh thats ok then. Hope he didn't think I meant if he dies thats ok

[Quizmonster]

When you are said to be signing your life away,all it means is that you are undertaking something which might prove to be far more demanding than you originally expected it to be...not that you or anyone else is likely literally to die.
For example, in military service, if someone decided to "sign on" - ie remain as a soldier - for longer than he was already committed to, his colleagues who couldn't wait to get out might well say, "You're an idiot. You're signing your life away!"

[Quizmonster]

Perhaps I shouldn't have used a soldier as an illustration above, as soldiers often do, literally, have to put their lives on the line. Let's just say any form of long-term contract, even in the safest of jobs.

[Highjay]

May be used humorously whenever someone is asked to sign a form or similar, especially if they have not had time to read it properly. The implication in the humour is that the form looks innocuous but may be a trick to get them to 'sign their life away'. Example: 'And now, if I can please ask you to sign your life away here on the dotted line...'