An archaic use of bucket was a beam from which a pig is hung by its feet prior to being slaughtered, and to kick the bucket originally signified the pig’s death throes.
What is the origin of the phrase kick the bucket?
The wooden frame used to hang animals by their feet for slaughter was called a bucket. As the animals struggled and spasmed, they were said to “kick the bucket.” The term gained broader definition when it was defined in Grose’s 1785 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: “To kick the bucket, to die.”
Who coined the phrase kick the bucket?
In John Badcock‘s slang dictionary of 1823, the explanation is given that “One Bolsover having hung himself from a beam while standing on a pail, or bucket, kicked this vessel away in order to pry into futurity and it was all UP with him from that moment: Finis”.
What does the expression kicked the bucket mean?
have died
If you say that someone has kicked the bucket, you mean that they have died. [informal] Synonyms: die, expire, perish, pass away More Synonyms of to kick the bucket.
When did the phrase kick the bucket originate?
The term is known to date from at least the 16th century. The more interesting (and probably apochryphal) origin relates to suicides who would stand on a large bucket with noose around the neck and, at the moment of their choosing, would kick away the bucket.
Is it rude to say kick the bucket?
Definition: An informal and sometimes disrespectful way to say someone has died. This idiom is usually used to talk about celebrities or casual acquaintances, rather than close family or friends. It would be quite rude and cavalier to say that your father, for instance, has kicked the bucket.
Where does 40 winks come from?
The first use of this expression dates back to 1821, when Dr. William Kitchiner, an optician and telescope inventor used it in his self help guide, The art of invigorating and prolonging life – “A forty winks nap in a horizontal posture, is the best preparative for any extraordinary exertion of either.”
Why do they say pop your clogs?
Pop your clogs
British factory workers, particularly in northern England, wore wooden-soled shoes to protect their feet as late as the 1920s. It was around this time that ‘popped your clogs’ as an expression for death originated.
What is another word for kick the bucket?
In this page you can discover 27 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for kick-the-bucket, like: expire, croak, go-belly-up, cease living, meet-one-s-maker, buy-the-farm, cash in one’s chips, drop-dead, pop off, choke and snuff-it.
Where did the saying dressed to the nines come from?
The phrase is said to be Scots in origin. The earliest written example of the phrase is from the 1719 Epistle to Ramsay by the Scottish poet William Hamilton: The bonny Lines therein thou sent me, How to the nines they did content me.
What does dress to the nines meaning?
idiom informal. to be wearing fashionable or formal clothes for a special occasion: Jackie went out dressed to the nines. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
Where did all hands on deck come from?
Origin of All Hands on Deck
This expression has a naval origin. Hands is another word for sailors and deck is a part of the boat. In a storm or other emergency, the captain might yell all hands on deck. This is a command for all the sailors to come to the deck of the boat to help navigate the storm.
What does Pop your collar mean?
An upturned collar (or popped collar) is an otherwise flat, protruding collar of either a shirt, Polo, jacket, or coat that has been turned upward.
What does it mean if someone says Pop 1?
What does POP mean in cards? POP is short for “population,” and is used to reference the scarcity of graded cards or how many there are in existence. For instance, a POP 1 PSA 10 card would mean it’s the only one in existence. a POP 18 would mean there are 18, and so on.
What does pop the boot mean?
Slang. a to kick a person, esp. when he is already down. b to harass someone or aggravate a problem. c to finish off (something) with unnecessary brutality.
Where does the phrase at sixes and sevens come from?
The term at sixes and sevens goes back at least to the 1300s. Originally, the phrase was rendered on six and seven, and referred to a dice game where throwing on a six or seven meant risking one’s entire fortune. Until the 1600s, on sixes and sevens meant to take a careless risk.
Where did the phrase bells and whistles come from?
The term bells and whistles may have come from the various bells and whistles used as signals on locomotives, especially describing model trains and whether or not they came with “all the bells and whistles.” However, some believe that the idiom is derived from ornate organs at circuses or fairs.
What does the expression sixes and sevens mean?
Confusion
idiom informal , old-fashioned in US. in a confused, badly organized, or difficult situation: We’ve been at sixes and sevens in the office this week. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Confusion, confusing and feeling confused.
What does 1 over the 8 mean?
Noun. one over the eight. (colloquial) One or more servings too many of alcohol, leading to drunkenness; one too many. quotations ▼
What is a nine to fiver?
Definition of nine-to-fiver
: one who works at a job with regular daytime hours.
What is the meaning of ants in your pants?
one’s pants. unable to sit still or remain calm out of nervousness or excitement Lisa had ants in her pants the day before her interview.