- Meaning
- This idiom describes someone who is very old, frail, or close to death, often due to age or serious illness, as if they are so near the end of life that one foot is already in the grave. It conveys a state of extreme vulnerability or proximity to mortality, typically used in personal, medical, or humorous contexts to highlight advanced age or declining health, sometimes with a touch of grim humor or exaggeration. The phrase carries a tone of inevitability, sympathy, or dark jest, reflecting cultural attitudes toward aging and death, and the human tendency to confront mortality with both seriousness and levity. It resonates in settings where life’s fragility is acknowledged, capturing the poignant reality of nearing the end, and its morbid imagery adds a layer of stark vividness, evoking a literal step toward burial. The idiom often implies a precarious hold on life, making it a powerful expression for discussing mortality or frailty.
- Origin
- The phrase originated in 16th-century England, rooted in Christian imagery of death and burial, where the ‘grave’ symbolized the inevitable end, as seen in sermons and morality plays. Its earliest recorded use appears in William Shakespeare’s *Romeo and Juliet* (1597), where a character laments being ‘one foot in the grave’ due to age. The idiom gained traction in the 17th century, reflecting a culture preoccupied with mortality, as seen in John Donne’s poetry and John Ray’s 1678 *English Proverbs*. Its use grew in 19th-century British and American literature, particularly in Gothic and sentimental works, with Charles Dickens’ *Bleak House* (1853) using it for frail characters. The phrase’s adoption was amplified in the 20th century through media, notably in Victorian melodrama and later in films like *Arsenic and Old Lace* (1944), which used it humorously. Its spread to American and Commonwealth English came through British literary influence, and its vivid imagery, evoking a half-buried state, and its applicability to aging ensured its enduring use across English-speaking cultures, from medical discussions to morbid jokes.
- Variants
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- One foot in the grave
- With one foot in the grave
- Half in the grave
- One foot already in the grave
- Examples
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- At 95, she’s got one foot in the grave but still cracks jokes daily.
- With one foot in the grave, he’s determined to finish his memoirs.
- Half in the grave, the old car barely runs but refuses to quit.
- One foot already in the grave, she surprised us with her energy.
- He’s got one foot in the grave, yet he’s planning a trip abroad.
- With one foot in the grave, the company limps along on outdated tech.
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