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kick the bucket

To die.

Etymology:

  • There are many theories as to where this idiom comes from, but the OED discusses the following:
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“

The old horse finally kicked the bucket.

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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'kick the bucket':

kick the bucketOf a machine, to break down such that it cannot be repaired.
kick the bucketto die.
Kick the BucketTo perish, die or expire, no more alive
See them all »

Translation

Find a translation for the kick the bucket phrase in other languages:

spark til spanden

calciare il secchio

umrzeć

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to kick the bucket

Kick Up Your Heelkick like a mulekick up one's heelskick rockskick up a fusskick the can down the roadkick to the curbkick upkick up the arsekick outkick one's heelskick the dustkick someone when they are downkick up one's heels

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Discuss this kick the bucket phrase with the community:

1 Comment
  • IzzyCohen
    IzzyCohen
    This idiom is probably from a proto-Semitic metaphor: make love = עֲגוֹב [K]aGov + in Paradise = בעִדָן B'[K]aiDen " Hebrew [K]aGav B'3eDen kick (the) bucket. This is still a Middle East (virgins in heaven) euphemism to avoid saying "He died." 
    LikeReply1 year ago

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"kick the bucket." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/kick-the-bucket_4893>.

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