Dictionary

kick the bucket en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈkɪk ðə ˈbʌkɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation, US)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

There are many theories as to where this idiom comes from, but the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) suggests the following: * A person standing on a pail or bucket with their head in a slip noose would kick the bucket so as to commit suicide. The OED, however, says that this is mainly speculative; * 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. The OED finds this a more plausible theory. Another theory is given by Roman Catholic Bishop Abbot Horne: After death, when a body had been laid out, […] the holy-water bucket was brought from the church and put at the feet of the corpse. When friends came to pray […] they would sprinkle the body with holy water […] it is easy to see how such a saying as "kicking the bucket" came about. Many other explanations of this saying have been given by persons who are unacquainted with Catholic custom […]

Meanings

1. (colloquial, euphemistic, humorous, idiomatic) To die.
   • My posthumous book Allegorizings, which will go to press in London and New York the minute I kick the bucket, is loosely governed by my growing conviction that almost nothing in life is only what it seems. It contains nothing revelatory at all. 2015 April 22, Sam Jordison, quoting Jan Morris, “Jan Morris talks about Venice”, in The Guardian:
   • The old horse finally kicked the bucket.
2. (colloquial, idiomatic, of a machine) To break down such that it cannot be repaired.
   • I think my sewing machine has kicked the bucket.

Forms

Relateds

bucket list

Synonyms

pass on · shuffle off this mortal coil · pay the debt of nature · darken · hand in one's checks · expire · forfare · pass the river · be with the Lord · be like the the One · be no more · assume room temperature · pass in one's checks · snuff it · liquidate · pass over · slip away · go the way of the dodo · keel over · knock off · kick off · exit · cash in · go the way of the dodo bird · give up the ghost · flatline · conk out · go the way of the dinosaurs · disincarnate · pop one's clogs · fall off the twig · lose the number of one's mess · cark it · go over to the majority · cross the Great Divide · perish · yield up the ghost · peg out · draw one's last breath · be gathered to one's fathers · go for a burton · drop off the hooks · bite the big one · close one's eyes for the last time · croak · pass away · take a dirt nap · decease · pop off · hand in one's dinner pail · join the choir invisible · push up daisies · be with Jesus · go to one's reward · hop the twig · buy it · bite the dust · check out · kick the bucket · cross over · pay nature's debt · cross the Styx · buy the farm · cash in one's chips · sleep with one's fathers · pass · sink · depart · go west · go to glory · code · bite the biscuit · decompose · kick it · auger in · go out · give one's all · meet one's doom · meet one's end · dematerialize · turn up one's toes · meet one's maker · buy the farm · be called home · succumb · go the way of all flesh · pass in one's marble · bite the dust

Translations (81)

hu beadja a kulcsot (to die) · pl pójść do piachu (to die) · es estirar la pata (to die) · pl wykorkować (to die) · es irse al otro barrio (to die) · cs zaklepat bačkorama (to die) · cy cicio'r bwced (to die) · sv kila runt hörnet (to die) · pl kipnąć (to die) · pl wyciągnąć kopyta (to die) · ca dinyar-la (to die) · it tirare le cuoia (to die) · te బాల్చీ తన్ను (to die) · is drepast (to break down beyond repair) · de den Löffel abgeben (to die) · hu beadja a kulcsot (to break down beyond repair) · pl przenieść się na łono Abrahama (to die) · lv atdot galus (to die) · br lipat e loa (to die) · kn ಸಾಯು (to die) · es colgar los tenis (to die) · quc rax kamikal (to die) · sk otrčiť kopytá (to die) · sk vystrieť sa na doske (to die) · nl het loodje leggen (to die) · hu feldobja a talpát (to die) · af gee die gees (to die) · af steek die lepel in die dak (to die) · pl pożegnać się ze światem (to die) · pl wykitować (to die) · fr casser sa pipe (to die) · nl de pijp uit gaan (to die) · fi hajota lopullisesti (to break down beyond repair) · no gå i pennalet (to die) · no legge inn årene (to die) · sq drodhi këmbën (to die) · pl zniszczyć się (to break down beyond repair) · pl kojfnąć (to die) · pt bater as botas (to die) · fa ریق رحمت را سر کشیدن (to die) · lv nolikt karoti (to die) · ca estirar la pota (to die) · pl fajtnąć (to die) · af skop die emmer (to die) · pl zejść (to die) · af gaan bokveld toe (to die) · ko 고장나다 (to break down beyond repair) · ko 죽다 (to die) · tr nalları dikmek (to die) · fr passer l'arme à gauche (to die) · ja くたばる (to die) · hu feldobja a bakancsot (to die) · sk otrčiť päty (to die) · kn ಸರಿಪಡಿಸಲಾಗದಷ್ಟು ಹಾಳಾದ (to break down beyond repair) · es colgar los guayos (to die) · hu elpatkol (to die) · ru преставиться (to die) · sv ta ner skylten (to die) · pl przenieść się do Krainy Wiecznych Łowów (to die) · is deyja (to break down beyond repair) · pl pójść do Abrahama na piwo (to die) · pl kopnąć w kalendarz (to die) · fi potkaista tyhjää (to die) · ro da ortul popii (to die) · pl zawinąć się (to die) · ru накрыться медным тазом (to break down beyond repair) · pl odwalić kitę (to die) · da stille træskoene (to die) · pl przekręcić się (to die) · pl wyciągnąć nogi (to die) · af verwissel die tydelike met die ewige (to die) · hu felrúgja a gyertyát (to die) · pl dokonać żywota (to die) · is eyðilegjast (to break down beyond repair) · de endgültig im Eimer sein (to break down beyond repair) · cmn 翹辮子 /翘辫子 (to die) · ro da colțul (to die) · tr mezarı boylamak (to die) · pl przenieść się w zaświaty (to die) · es petatearse (to die) · sl oditi med krilatce (to die)