Be Dead and Buried 🎖️
Definition: To have passed away and been interred in the ground.
First Recorded Use: 1918, in Wilfred Owen’s poignant poems about World War I. The line evokes flowers sprouting over a soldier’s grave in France.
Related Terms:
- Pushing up daisies: A polite and poetic way of saying someone has died.
- Gone to the big sleep: Referencing the eternal rest.
- Six feet under: Laid to rest beneath the earth.
Synonyms:
- Departed
- Late
- Passed away
Antonyms:
- Alive
- Breathing
- Kicking and screaming (also informally: Alive and kicking)
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “Here lies an honest lawyer, and that is strange." – Epitaph from Tombstone, Arizona
- “I told you I was ill.” – Epigraph on Spike Milligan’s tombstone
Proverbs & References:
- “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” – Traditional Christian burial phrase.
- “We all live to die another day.” – Paraphrase of James Bond’s “Die Another Day” with a slight comedic twist.
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies:
- Blunt Instrument (1938) by Georgette Heyer: “‘Where is the wife now?’ . . . ‘Pushing up daisies. . . . died a couple of years ago.’”
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: Offers a unique and poetic perspective on death through the eyes of the narrator, Death itself.
- “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor: A song reflecting on the sorrow of loss and the inevitability of death.
- Dead Poets Society (1989): An inspiring film that, among other things, explores the idea of living life to its fullest before our time comes.
### Which of these expressions means someone has passed away?
- [x] Pushing up daisies
- [ ] Jumping over rainbows
- [ ] Dancing with stars
- [ ] Swimming with dolphins
> **Explanation:** “Pushing up daisies” is a well-known euphemism for being dead and buried. The other phrases evoke hopeful or fantastical imagery but are not related to death.
### What does ‘six feet under’ imply?
- [x] Being buried
- [ ] Living under a tall person
- [ ] Digging for treasure
- [ ] Hidden in a basement
> **Explanation:** "Six feet under" is an idiomatic expression for being dead and buried, referring to the approximate depth of a standard grave.
### True or False: ‘Pushing up daisies’ and ‘kicking the bucket’ mean the same thing?
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** Both expressions are euphemisms for dying. "Pushing up daisies" is more poetic, while "kicking the bucket" has a more straightforward origin.
### Which phrase refers to death politely?
- [x] Passed away
- [ ] Crashing out
- [ ] Zonked out
- [ ] Taking a walk
> **Explanation:** "Passed away" is a commonly used euphemism for dying, typically used to convey the concept with gentleness and respect.
### "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust" is often used in...?
- [x] Funeral services
- [ ] Birthday celebrations
- [ ] New Year's parties
- [ ] Graduation speeches
> **Explanation:** "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust" is a phrase commonly recited at funeral services or in burial rituals, reflecting on the life cycle and the notion of returning to the earth.
Inspirational Thought-Provoking Farewell: ✨“Cherish your moments under the sun, for when you do put the daisy lid on your coffin, you leave behind seeds of memories that will bloom forever."🌼
