[Slang] KICK THE BUCKET. - Mastering Everyday Expressions: Learning About Idioms

Die.

Kick the bucket" is an informal way of saying someone has died. It’s a bit of a mysterious phrase, but one theory is that it comes from the old method of slaughtering animals. The animal would stand on a bucket, and when it was pulled out from under them, well, they "kicked the bucket." Today, it's used more lightheartedly to talk about death.

Example Sentences

1. He's so old he might just kick the bucket soon.

   He's so old, he might die soon.

2. Every time he coughs, I joke that he's ready to kick the bucket.

   Every time he coughs, I joke that he's about to die.

3. I inherited this car from my grandpa after he kicked the bucket last year.

   I inherited this car from my grandpa after he passed away last year.