dead on one's feet — extremely tired; exhausted to the point of barely being able to stand
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: extremely tired; exhausted to the point of barely being able to stand
Pronunciation (IPA): /dɛd ɑn wʌnz fit/
Example Sentences
- The surgeon was dead on his feet after the 18-hour operation, but he still smiled when the patient opened her eyes.
- My mom claims she's dead on her feet, but she somehow found the energy to lecture me about my messy room for an hour.
- After Black Friday shopping, we were all dead on our feet but somehow still managed to argue over the last piece of pizza.
dead on one's feet
NOUN[/dɛd ɑn wʌnz fit/]
extremely tired; exhausted to the point of barely being able to stand
After back-to-back shifts, the nurse is dead on her feet but still smiling at patients.
Heart still on the beat, but dead on my feet—need a seat!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This idiomatic expression emerged in the late 19th century to vividly describe extreme exhaustion while remaining upright. 'Dead' functions as an intensifying adverb meaning 'completely' or 'utterly,' while 'on one's feet' refers to the physical state of standing. The phrase metaphorically compares someone's fatigue to being lifeless, yet still forced to remain standing.
Breakdown
dead (completely, utterly—intensifying adverb) + on one's feet (in a standing position). The construction combines an adverbial intensifier with a prepositional phrase describing physical posture.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The surgeon was dead on his feet after the 18-hour operation, but he still smiled when the patient opened her eyes.”
“My mom claims she's dead on her feet, but she somehow found the energy to lecture me about my messy room for an hour.”
“After Black Friday shopping, we were all dead on our feet but somehow still managed to argue over the last piece of pizza.”
📚Related Words
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