Phrase guide

have one foot in the grave

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To be close to death, to be dying.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: bir ayağı burda, bir ayağı gorda — Translations
  • Esperanto: stari per unu piedo en la tombo — Translations
  • Finnish: olla haudan partaalla — Translations
  • Finnish: olla toinen jalka haudassa — Translations
  • French: avoir un pied dans la tombe — Translations
  • French: sentir le sapin — Translations
  • Galician: estar cos pés na cova — Translations
  • German: mit einem Fuß im Grab stehen — Translations
  • Greek: είμαι με το ένα πόδι στον τάφο (eímai me to éna pódi ston táfo) — Translations
  • Italian: avere un piede nella fossa — Translations
  • Italian: avere un piede nella tomba — Translations
  • Italian: essere più di là che di qua — Translations
  • Italian: essere più morto che vivo — Translations
  • Latin: capulāris — Translations
  • Polish: być jedną nogą w grobie — Translations
  • Polish: być jedną nogą na tamtym świecie — Translations
  • Polish: stać nad grobem — Translations
  • Polish: wybierać się na tamten świat — Translations
  • Portuguese: estar com os pés para a cova — Translations
  • Portuguese: estar com os pés na cova — Translations
  • Portuguese: ter um pé na cova — Translations
  • Romanian: fi cu un picior în groapă — Translations
  • Russian: стоя́ть одно́й ного́й в моги́ле (stojátʹ odnój nogój v mogíle) — Translations
  • Spanish: estar con un pie en el hoyo — Translations
  • Spanish: estar con un pie en el sepulcro — Translations
  • Spanish: estar con un pie en la sepultura — Translations
  • Spanish: estar con un pie en la tumba — Translations
  • Spanish: tener un pie en la tumba — Translations
  • Spanish: estar más muerto que vivo — Translations
  • Swedish: med ena foten i graven — Translations
  • Swedish: stå med ena foten i graven — Translations
  • Turkish: bir ayağı çukurda olmak — Translations