(also hang/hold on for dear lifeNorth American English, British English)
(informal)to hold somebody/something very tightly or keep something in a very determined way because you are afraid（害怕得）死死抓住不放，紧紧抓住不松手
You get a job, then you get a mortgage and then you hang on like grim death to your job to pay off the mortgage.你得到了一份工作，然后你得到了一笔抵押贷款，然后你拼命保住你的工作来偿还抵押贷款。