Dead man walking
noun, slang
noun, slang ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A condemned prisoner walking to a death chamber or other place of execution.
"It was Percy Wetmore who ushered Coffey onto the block, with the supposedly traditional cry of “Dead man walking! Dead man walking here!”"
- 2 Someone who is soon to die.
""So, arrest me," Cummings said. "The fuck do I care? I'm a dead man walking.""
- 3 Someone who is about to face an unavoidable loss (though the person may not realize it). figuratively
- 4 A multivortex tornado typically appearing in the form of a human figure walking. slang
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"It was Percy Wetmore who ushered Coffey onto the block, with the supposedly traditional cry of “Dead man walking! Dead man walking here!”"
Etymology
A phrase traditionally used in U.S. prisons to announce a condemned prisoner being walked to the place of execution. Its use has expanded as a euphemism for anyone facing an impending and unavoidable loss.