A few days ago
ziggychef1

where did he saying kicked the bucket come from when someone dies?

i,m not sure if it is a pennsylvania thing or has anyone else heard it other places?

Top 2 Answers
A few days ago
rathrhadit

Favorite Answer

Years ago, when the hanging of criminals was the preferred method of execution, instead of having a ‘properly designed’ hanging platform, they would throw a rope over a tree limb, put an upside-down bucket below it, stand the criminal on the bucket, adjust the rope (etc), and … to actually perform the execution they simply “kick the bucket”.

Quite logical actually.

The meaning has gotten extended from execution to any kind of death.

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A few days ago
anigma
I looked up the phrase for you as I’ve always been interested to find the answer myself. it is used widely throughout the UK too. This what I found:

The wooden frame that was used to hang animals up by their feet for slaughter was called a bucket. Not unnaturally they were likely to struggle or to spasm after death and hence ‘kick the bucket’. This goes back beyond the 17th century.

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