bite the dust
Meet one's end
Bite the dust means to fall to the ground, especially to die or be killed.
The image is of someone falling face-first into dirt.
Extended uses include failing or being defeated: Another small business bites the dust.
The phrase often carries a note of finality or dismissiveness about the defeat.
Cessation of existence
mortality · funeral · obituary · cemetery · graveyard · coffin · burial · cremation
Complete commercial failure
- bombExplosive device or disaster
- tankLarge storage vessel
- crashSudden violent impact
- backfireYield unintended consequences
misfire · washout · bust · fizzle · botch · blunder · fiasco · debacle
Failure to operate properly
- conk outCease functioning suddenly
- give outDistribute or fail
- sputterEmit irregular popping sounds
- stallEnclosed compartment or delay
seize up · kaput · defunct · broken · busted · dead · fried · toast
Defeated completely
- conqueredDefeated and took control
- beatenHaving lost a contest
- overcomePrevail against difficulty
- crushedCompressed into fragments
routed · trounced · bested · outmatched · overthrown · subdued · overpowered · dominated
demise
Cessation of existence
decease · mortality · funeral · obituary · cemetery · graveyard · coffin · burial · cremation · tombstone
flop
Complete commercial failure
backfire · misfire · washout · bust · fizzle · botch · blunder · fiasco · debacle · collapse
malfunction
Failure to operate properly
stall · seize up · kaput · defunct · broken · busted · dead · fried · toast · done for
vanquished
Defeated completely
crushed · routed · trounced · bested · outmatched · overthrown · subdued · overpowered · dominated · annihilated
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- Old Idiomsbeyond the pale, hue and cry, scot-free, knight in shining armor, eat humble pie
- Wild Westcowboy, howdy, sheriff, giddyup, lawmen
- combat idiomsstab in the back, dodge a bullet, in the crosshairs, fire away, take a shot
- losing phrasesgame over, you lose, lose out, defeated, beaten
bite the dustsurvive
Continue to exist
live · pull through · cheat death · live to tell the tale · make it
bite the dustprevail
To succeed ultimately
triumph · succeed · win · come out on top · carry the day
bite the dusthold up
Delay or armed robbery
stand the test of time · soldier on · go strong · last · endure
bite, dust, biting, dusty, dusting, bitten, duster, bites, dusted