push up daisies
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English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]In allusion to the daisy flowers growing over a dead person's grave. Originated in World War I.[1]
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
[edit]push up daisies (third-person singular simple present pushes up daisies, present participle pushing up daisies, simple past and past participle pushed up daisies)
- (idiomatic, euphemistic or humorous) To be dead.
- 1969 December 7, Monty Python, “Full Frontal Nudity, Dead Parrot sketch”, in Monty Python's Flying Circus, spoken by Mr Praline (John Cleese):
- This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late parrot! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed it to the perch it would be pushing up the daisies!
Derived terms
[edit]- pushing up daisies (adjective)
Translations
[edit]idiomatic: to be dead
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “daisy (n.)”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Further reading
[edit]- “push up daisies” in Idioms and phrases, TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.