Collins Chinese Dictionary Plus (3rd edition), 2011:
死活 sǐhuó
I 名
safety
- 煤矿(礦)主不顾(顧)矿(礦)工的死活,让(讓)他们(們)没(沒)日没(沒)夜地工作。 Méikuàngzhǔ bùgù kuànggōng de sǐhuó,ràng tāmen méi rì méi yè de gōngzuò. The mine manager didn't care at all about his employees' safety and made them work day and night.
II 副
simply
- 交通灯(燈)变(變)绿(綠)了但车(車)子死活打不着(著)火。 Jiāotōngdēng biàn lǜ le dàn chēzi sǐhuó dǎ bù zháo huǒ. The lights had changed to green, but the car simply wouldn't start.