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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
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Kick the Bucket (Origin)
What Is the Origin of the Saying "Kick the Bucket"?
The term "kick the bucket" means to die.
This idiom originates from the Catholic Church. When a person died, a bucket of holy water was placed at their feet so mourners could sprinkle water on the body. The term therefore describes having a bucket by your feet, not physically kicking it.
Competing Theory
In England in the 16th century, the word "bucket" meant "beam." When an animal was hanged by the feet for slaughter, it would kick the beam (or bucket) as it died.Competing Theory
The term originates from public hangings. More specifically, it refers to kicking away the bucket on which a condemned person was standing. (Detractors of this theory highlight that the person who kicks the bucket is not the person who dies.)Previous and Next Sayings
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