kick the bucket meaning

Definition of kick the bucket

1. pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
   • She died from cancer
   • The children perished in the fire
   • The patient went peacefully
   • The old guy kicked the bucket at the age of 102

   Synonyms: die, decease, perish, go, exit, pass away, expire, pass, cash in one's chips, buy the farm, conk, give-up the ghost, drop dead, pop off, choke, croak, snuff it

   Type of: change state

   Kinds: abort, suffocate, buy it, drown, predecease, starve, fall, succumb

How to pronounce kick the bucket

kick the bucket is pronounced /kɪk ðə ˈbʌkɪt/ in British English and /kɪk ðə ˈbʌkət/ in American English. It has 4 syllables.