dead as a doorknob

English

Etymology

Possibly from a misinterpretation or misunderstanding of the expression dead as a doornail. See usage notes below.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Adjective

dead as a doorknob

1. (simile) Entirely, unquestionably or certainly dead.

   I tried the flashlight, but the battery was as dead as a doorknob.

   I found the mouse who lived in our wall, lying on his back with his feet in the air—as dead as a doorknob.

Usage notes

Many other nouns can be substituted for doorknob, perhaps the oldest and original being doornail used by William Shakespeare, in Henry VI, Part 2, act 4, scene 10; and also by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol. Others include doormat, dodo, herring, kipper, mackerel, rock, and graveyard.

Translations

unquestionably dead (see here)

• Danish: død som en sild
• Finnish: kuollut kuin kivi
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: død som en sild (no) (dead as a herring)