Common English Idioms
Describing death and dying

In English, there are many, many idioms (also called idiomatic expressions). An idiom is an expression or phrase which has a meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words. In other words, idioms don’t mean exactly what they say.

These English idioms mean to die or to be dead:

To die – (formal expressions)

to be no more
to be taken (from someone)
to breathe your last breath
to come to an untimely end
to depart

To die (informal expressions)

to go the way of all flesh
to meet your end
(to go) to meet your maker
to pass away
to peg it / peg out
to drop/fall dead
to bite the dust
to buy the farm
to cash in your chips
to croak
to kick the bucket
to pop off
to turn up one’s toes
to pop your clogs

To be dead (informal expressions)

to be as Dead as a dodo
to be dead as a doornail
to be looking at the other side of the grass
to be pushing up daisies
to be six feet under
to fall off your perch
to be food for worms / worm food
to have bave bought it