why, when someone dies....?

Question

is it called "kicking the bucket"?

Answer 1

Because when a bucket is kicked, it turns over and is emptied out. In otherwords, only the outside shell remains.

Answer 2

One theory as to why, albeit with little evidence to support it, is that the phrase originates from the notion that people hanged themselves by standing on a bucket with a noose around their neck and then kicking the bucket away. There are no citations that relate the phrase to suicide and, in any case, why a bucket? Whenever I've needed something to stand on I can't recall ever opting for a bucket. This theory doesn't stand up any better than the supposed buckets did.

The mist begins to clear with the fact that in 16th century England bucket had an additional meaning (and in some parts it still has), i.e. a beam or yoke used to hang or carry items. The term may have been introduced into English from the French trébuchet - meaning a balance, or buque - meaning a yoke. That meaning of bucket was referred to in Peter Levins' Manipulus vocabulorum. A dictionarie of English and Latine wordes, 1570:

"A Bucket, beame, tollo."

and was used by Shakespeare in Henry IV Part II, 1597:

"Swifter then he that gibbets on the Brewers Bucket." [to gibbet meant to hang]

Answer 3

The idiom kicking the bucket comes from a suicidal technique used years ago. A man would tie a rope around his neck, secure the other end tightly to a tree branch while standing on a bucket. He would then proceed to kick the bucket out from under himself, thus killing himself and...kicking the bucket. i think you should add "it is what it is" considering so many people say it and it really means nothing..

Answer 4

Kicked the bucket meaning the bucket fell over and died or you kicked the bucket :)

Answer 5

the phrase comes from "an old-school suicide technique." The depressed person would allegedly stand atop a bucket with his or her head in a noose, then kick away the bucket and take a one-way trip to the great beyond. not a nice theory

Answer 6

Because along time ago, they made it a tradition for someone to kick a bucket when someone dies to signify the soul rolling on. ha ha lol No really I don't know but that's a good question!!

Answer 7

backin the old west billy the kid shot this ol dude in the back and when he went down he had a muscle spasm and kicked this bucket that happened to be sittin there by his feet an billy laughed and said "well he sure kicked the bucket" hope i have been of some help

Answer 8

One of the first people to die a long, long time ago tripped over a bucket and fell down a set of stairs to their death. Now dying is referred to as "kicking the bucket".

Answer 9

I think it all started when Jimmy Durante kicked the bucket in the movie, Its a mad mad mad world.

Answer 10

Because when people would hang themselves, they would stand on a bucket, then kick it away so they would fall and the rope would tense, resulting in hanging.