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Kick the bucket

//ˈkɪk ðə ˈbʌkɪt// verb, slang

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To die. colloquial, euphemistic, humorous, idiomatic

    "The old horse finally kicked the bucket."

  2. 2
    pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life wordnet
  3. 3
    To break down such that it cannot be repaired. colloquial, idiomatic

    "I think my sewing machine has kicked the bucket."

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.

See also for "kick the bucket"

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