- Meaning
- This idiom means to die, cease functioning, or abandon hope, often describing the final moment of life or the end of a machine or effort. It evokes the idea of a spirit leaving the body, suggesting irrevocable cessation. The phrase is used in medical, mechanical, or metaphorical contexts to denote finality, carrying a solemn or resigned tone. It reflects cultural associations of death with spiritual departure and the inevitability of endings, often used poetically or humorously for inanimate objects.
- Origin
- The phrase has roots in biblical language, specifically Job 14:10 (King James Version, 1611): ‘Man dieth, and giveth up the ghost.’ It appeared in Middle English by the 14th century, with William Langland’s *Piers Plowman* (1377) using it for death. William Shakespeare’s *Julius Caesar* (1599) popularized it: ‘Caesar’s spirit gives up the ghost.’ The idiom’s metaphorical use for machines or efforts grew in the 19th century, reflecting industrial contexts, as seen in Charles Dickens’ *A Tale of Two Cities* (1859). Its use in American English expanded in the 20th century, particularly for mechanical failures, and the phrase’s poetic imagery ensured its spread across English-speaking cultures.
- Variants
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- Give up the ghost
- Gave up the ghost
- Giving up the ghost
- Yield up the ghost
- Examples
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- The old car finally gave up the ghost after years of breakdowns.
- He gave up the ghost peacefully, surrounded by family.
- Giving up the ghost, the printer stopped working right before the deadline.
- Yield up the ghost, that ancient laptop—it’s time for an upgrade.
- Their hopes gave up the ghost when the funding was denied.
- The factory machine gave up the ghost, halting production for the day.
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