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I could be wrong because I'm not a native-English speaker but I think the phrase make a death wish can have two meanings:

  1. To make/create a wish to die
  2. To make/create a wish before or in the process of dying

Are these two definitions accurate? Why or why not?

Like, a birthday wish isn't wanting to have a birthday, but making a wish during a birthday.

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    The part 1 in your sentence isn't used that way. death wish is used like this: merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death%20wish. The part 2 in your list should be dying wish or last wish.
    – vickyace
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 13:51
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    Also, most often, the phrase is "have a death wish", not "make a death wish", usually said to someone doing something reckless, as in "That's really dangerous! Do you have a death wish or something?"
    – Roger
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 13:56

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This question stems from a confusion that I will clear up in this answer. The first part in your two-item list is incorrect because it is not used that way. It should be to have a death wish.

In the definition of death wish provided by Merriam Webster and Oxford dictionary, the most common suggested use is to have a death wish, which was also provided in the comments.

The second part in your list, however, is a different thing entirely.

See dying wish at MERRIAM WEBSTER, defined as

the last thing a person wants before dying.

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