# Slang for dying **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 18, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993 "2008-07-18T21:11:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/21 "2008-07-19T02:55:06Z")
My favorite around the hospital is “going home with a capital H”. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/22 "2008-07-19T03:23:27Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] No, it referes to the last plot of ground you’ll ever settle. [/QUOTE] That was also my understanding – you bought a grass farm, 8’ x 2’, with head stone. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/23 "2008-07-19T03:29:29Z")
A personal favorite that’s under used: paws up. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/24 "2008-07-19T03:31:03Z")
[QUOTE=Cub Mistress] he’s circling the drain [/QUOTE] Isn’t this one for dying, and not actually dead? Someone who’s very sick could be called “circling the drain,” no? > [@EJsGirl](#): > > Isn’t “peg out” a cribbage term for ending the game? Yup. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/25 "2008-07-19T07:05:21Z")
These are all well and good but as yet no-one has explained why "Kick the Bucket is used to mean somebody has “Cashed in their Chips” ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/26 "2008-07-19T07:16:35Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] These are all well and good but as yet no-one has explained why "Kick the Bucket is used to mean somebody has “Cashed in their Chips” [/QUOTE] I dunno about the bucket one, but I bet the chip thing has something to do with British cuisine. Snap! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/27 "2008-07-19T07:26:47Z")
[QUOTE=BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed] I dunno about the bucket one, but I bet the chip thing has something to do with British cuisine. Snap! 😃 [/QUOTE] I just had a thought. Maybe the bucket one refers to Mrs Whatevers cow, yannow the one that caused Bostons fire. The chips could be a casino reference, nuffink at all to do with our fine food ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/28 "2008-07-19T08:38:24Z")
Shit the Bed ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/29 "2008-07-19T11:09:05Z")
[QUOTE=dbuzman] Shit the Bed [/QUOTE] Never trust a fart? ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/30 "2008-07-19T12:26:50Z")
Kicked (or gave up) the oxygen habit. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/31 "2008-07-19T12:52:03Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] These are all well and good but as yet no-one has explained why "Kick the Bucket is used to mean somebody has “Cashed in their Chips” [/QUOTE] The most plausible explanation for [kick the bucket](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/218800.html) is that “bucket” is an archaic term for a beam from which animals were hung by their feet to be slaughtered. The animal would kick its feet in its death throes, and so, quite literally, “kicked the bucket.” ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/32 "2008-07-19T13:25:10Z")
oft-used by Rush Limbaugh: “assumed room temperature” Went to the Happy Hunting Grounds gangland killing; “He caught lead poisoning. Heh, heh, heh.” ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/33 "2008-07-19T20:32:01Z")
I’m surprised “ **6 ft under** ” hasn’t been mentioned yet! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/34 "2008-07-19T20:38:19Z")
Hand him a Bible (Torah, Koran) so he can study for the final? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/35 "2008-07-19T23:25:29Z")
Passed beyond the Rim (of course…) Won’t be down for breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/36 "2008-07-19T23:35:03Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] I just had a thought. Maybe the bucket one refers to Mrs Whatevers cow, yannow the one that caused Bostons fire. The chips could be a casino reference, nuffink at all to do with our fine food [/QUOTE] YO! Limey–that’s Mrs O’Leary’s cow, and she “caused” the Chicago Fire. Please make a note of it! 😉 RE “circling the drain”–that means not dead yet, but very soon will be around here. “croak” I imagine comes from the weird breathing and the sigh that can occur immediately post-life. here are some I’ve heard over the years in the hospital: going upstairs passing over calling for Mama bit the big one was called home / was called over went to that big [insert job title or occupation/place of residence here] dust in the wind finally at peace at rest flat lined pronounced SOL (shit out of luck) /TOD (time of death) ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/37 "2008-07-20T07:00:02Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] YO! Limey–that’s Mrs O’Leary’s cow, and she “caused” the Chicago Fire. Please make a note of it! 😉 Well at least I knew it was a cow 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chicken\_wire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@chicken\_wire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicken_wire)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/38 "2008-07-20T10:04:14Z")
Carked it. Possibly derived from “carcass”. Strine, mate. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/39 "2008-07-20T11:25:49Z")
pushing up daisies ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993/40 "2008-07-20T12:48:34Z")
[QUOTE=chicken wire?] Carked it. Possibly derived from “carcass”. Strine, mate. [/QUOTE] That’s part of NewZild as well. Goes for anything, man or metal, that’s bitten the dust. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-for-dying/456993.md?page=3)