dead as a doornail
dead as a doornail
Meaning | Synonyms
- becoming obsolete
- thing that is not used anymore
- non-existing
- lacking life
- absolutely dead
- something that is not functioning properly
- thing whose presence won’t make any difference
Variants
- dead as a dodo
- deaf as a doornail
- dour as a doornail
Example Sentences
- The flowers are all dead as a doornail.
- Malnutrition will leave you all dead as a doornail.
- I hit that mosquito using my pencil and now it is dead as a doornail.
- The idea to start an online business is dead as a doornail now.
- My expensive laptop was dead as a doornail but it is working properly now.
- Nobody is going to elect Harry now. His rule is over, dead as a doornail.
Origin
Doornail was one of the heavy studded nails on the outside door. There are different sources available which talks about its origin. It is said that it came from a poem named “The Vision of William Concerning Piers Plowman” in the 14th century, where is mentioned as:
“Faith without works is feebler than nothing, and dead as a doornail”
It is also believed that this is an ancient phrase which came earlier in about 1350.
Charles Dicken also used this phrase in his book called “A Christmas Carol” as:
“You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a doornail.”
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