What is the history behind the phrase 'kicked the bucket"? How come it is associated with death?

Answer 1

The word detective site had the following blurb. Hope this helps.

"A book called "Slang Down the Ages" by Jonathon Green, there are actually two possible origins for "kick the bucket," both suitably grisly. It seems that one method of slaughtering a pig used to involve hanging it upside down from a beam by means of a piece of wood called a "bucket." The dying animal would, naturally, "kick the bucket." The other possible origin refers to a method of hanging oneself, which involved standing on a bucket, tightening the noose, and then kicking away the bucket. Since the phrase "kick the bucket" dates back to at least the 16th century, neither of these can definitively be called the "genuine" origin..."

Answer 2

Back in England and Europe centuries ago when people were be-headed...their heads fell into a bucket usually made of wicker...
then accidentally one of the henchmen knocked over the bucket with his foot and to the audience' disbelief heads rolled around the platform...sections of the audience said "He's Kicked the Bucket". The phrse has since been associated with loss of life better known as Death!

Hope this helps you my friend...

Acerone!

Answer 3

One explanation is taken form when a person committing suicide by hanging, would kick the bucket away, thus causing death.
Another goes back a long time. It refers to a 16th century word,buque. It is a wooden beam that they would hang pigs up on to slaughter them. The pig would struggle during the process and would "kick the buque"

Answer 4

I think before a man got hung by the neck, (Rope around his neck, tied to a tree), he stood on a bucket. The executioner then kicked the bucket so that he'd hang. The condemned man then died...so to kick the bucket means, you die. Awful isn't it?

Answer 5

This refers to the older method of slaughtering hogs. They would be tied to a wooden frame which in French was called "buque". Their throats would be slit and they, then, would be pulled up, legs first, to the buque. In the process they would thrash around, kicking the buque, which, became "kicking the bucket".

Answer 6

I think it may have come from the method of suicide where somebody stood on a bucket, with a rope round their neck, then kicked the bucket away...........thereby hanging themselves.

Answer 7

another possible version comes from sailors being killed on the ships deck and at their last moments of life their kicking feet/legs would hit one of the buckets sitting on deck for cleaning purposes...... thus,,,,kicking the bucket.

Answer 8

the term "kicked the bucket" came from the fact that people used to suiside by 'kicing the bucket' so to speak..perhaps

Answer 9

This is a website for phrases such as this :
http://www.idiomsite.com/kickthebucket.htm