Quizzes & Puzzles1 min ago
Origin of Saying
22 Answers
Where does kick the bucket come from?
Answers
When people were to be hanged they were stood on an upturned bucket, or pail, and then it was kicked from under them.
13:11 Sun 02nd Dec 2012
-- answer removed --
Click http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-kic1.htm for the answer provided by a noted etymologist and lexicographer...ie an expert in such things. Note his comment that the idea of it having to do with hanging human beings is (quote) "much less credible."
In what way is it betterER? Have you any evidence that executioners or suicides ever made a habit of using buckets? The former had blocks and the latter would probably have found stools/chairs much more convenient to kick over.
There is, on the other hand, evidence that buckets - ie from the Old French word buquet meaning a beam - were used in the slaughter of animals. Even Shakespeare uses it in that way.
But I'll leave it at that...you go on believing what you believe and I'll go on believing what I believe.
There is, on the other hand, evidence that buckets - ie from the Old French word buquet meaning a beam - were used in the slaughter of animals. Even Shakespeare uses it in that way.
But I'll leave it at that...you go on believing what you believe and I'll go on believing what I believe.
I said I'd leave it at that earlier, but I simply can't resist responding to your latest strange notion.
When one starts the slaughtering process on an animal, it is by definition still alive! The animal's back legs are trussed and it is raised aloft, giving the slaughterman access to its throat. Clearly, there is a short period of time during which the panicking animal thrashes about in an attempt to escape. That's when it "kicks the bucket," which is - as already explained - a beam.
When one starts the slaughtering process on an animal, it is by definition still alive! The animal's back legs are trussed and it is raised aloft, giving the slaughterman access to its throat. Clearly, there is a short period of time during which the panicking animal thrashes about in an attempt to escape. That's when it "kicks the bucket," which is - as already explained - a beam.
Brewers give those 2 possibilities plus a third one:- the bucket is the one formerly put out to collect for the widow of a workmate, and some of those passing by kicked the bucket instead of throwing in a coin.
It doesn't single out any one of the three possibilities as being more credible than the others.
It doesn't single out any one of the three possibilities as being more credible than the others.
From the opening paragraph of my link...
"It is said that the word was applied in particular to the beam from which a pig was hung IN ORDER TO BE slaughtered." (My capitals)
These are the words of the expert etymologist/lexicographer whose site I linked to. The part YOU refer to is simply an example quote in the OED from some Norfolk person whose knowledge of the history of words/phrases may well have been severely limited.
Having said that - and still opting to go with the expert rather than some gash commentator - I am perfectly happy to swear undying friendship with you!
"It is said that the word was applied in particular to the beam from which a pig was hung IN ORDER TO BE slaughtered." (My capitals)
These are the words of the expert etymologist/lexicographer whose site I linked to. The part YOU refer to is simply an example quote in the OED from some Norfolk person whose knowledge of the history of words/phrases may well have been severely limited.
Having said that - and still opting to go with the expert rather than some gash commentator - I am perfectly happy to swear undying friendship with you!
