Giving Up the Ghost: Final Breath of the Word
Definition: To cease to exist or to die. Think of it as your last hurrah before you exit stage left for the great gig in the sky.
Origin: Making its haunted debut in the Bible, in the Book of Job (14:10), when Job ponders, “Man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost.” Back then, people believed that a person’s ghost or spirit vacated the body upon death.
Synonyms:
- Kick the bucket
- Bite the dust
- Meet one’s maker
- Catch the last train to Clarksville
Antonyms:
- Come back to life
- Resurrect
- Revive
- Reanimate
Related Expressions:
- Check out permanently
- Push up daisies
- Clock out permanently
- Shuffle off this mortal coil
Quotes:
- “When I give up the ghost, I hope it’s not to some haunted house but to a jazzy penthouse in the afterlife.” — Author, B. O. Benson
- “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” — Elbert Hubbard
Literarture and Media:
- Books:
- “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak - Death narrates with a surprisingly human touch.
- Movies:
- Ghost (1990) - When Sam literally gives up the ghost to protect Molly.
- Beetlejuice (1988) - The afterlife is a new beginning, not the end.
Fun Fact:
The idiom ‘Give Up the Ghost’ also enjoys a spotlight in other cultures, like the French saying “Rendre l’âme” which also means to die, though it sounds far more romantic.
Ebook recommendation:
“Spirited Away” Adventures in the afterlife, featuring stronger spirits not giving up anything without a fight!
Remember, spirits may give up the ghost, but expression and idioms live on forever. Until next time, keep haunting the bright spots of life!
-B.O. Benson
