Idioms about death
another nail in one’s coffin
Meaning: If you describe something as another nail in the coffin of another thing, you mean that it is one in a series of events that lead to the downfall or inevitable failure of that thing.
at death’s door
Meaning: About to die; in a life-threatening state of health
be dead in the water
Meaning: The idiom dead in the water means that something is unable to move or function.
between life and death
Meaning: A situation involving the danger of dying or being killed.
bite the dust
Meaning: to break; to fail.; to die
breathe one’s last
Meaning: The phrase breathe one’s last means to die.
brush with death
Meaning: If someone has a brush with death, they have an experience in which one almost dies.
cut someone dead
Meaning: If you cut someone dead, you ignore them because you are angry or you are displeased with them.
dance on someone’s grave
Meaning: To celebrate a person’s death triumphantly.
dead and buried
Meaning: No longer in use or under consideration, irrelevant, forgotten.
dead meat
Meaning: Someone in danger of death or severe punishment.
dead right
Meaning: If someone is dead right, it means that they are absolutely correct.
dead serious
Meaning: The phrase dead serious is an idiomatic expression that means one is absolutely serious and is not joking.
dead to the world
Meaning: Said about someone who is sound asleep or unconscious.
dead wood
Meaning: Workers no longer contributing to an organization.
dice with death
Meaning: If someone dices with death, they do something risky or dangerous that could even cause their death.
done to death
Meaning: if something is done to death, it is used or discussed so many times that it has become boring.
It’s your funeral
Meaning: The phrase It’s your funeral! is used to mean that if someone has to face the consequences of his or her actions.
kiss of death
Meaning: If something is described as a kiss of death, it is certain to cause failure and ruin.
knock them dead
Meaning: If you knock someone dead, you strongly impress them.
love somebody to death
Meaning: To love somebody very much.
meet one’s death
Meaning: To die.
never say die
Meaning: The phrase never say die means never give up or surrender. It is used to encourage a person to keep trying.
nothing is certain but death and taxes
Meaning: You will undoubtedly die.; You will certainly have to pay taxes.
over my dead body
Meaning: Under no circumstances; absolutely not.
turn in one’s grave
Meaning: To turn in one’s grave or to turn over in one’s grave is an idiomatic expression used to describe the anger or revulsion of a dead person if he or she were alive to hear of particular negative news or actions.
wouldn’t be caught dead
Meaning: If you wouldn’t be caught dead doing something, you would never do it because you would feel ashamed or embarrassed
you’re killing me
Meaning: The phrase you’re killing me is an exaggerated way of saying that something or someone is very funny.