Episode 309: Kick the Bucket

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Kick the Bucket". Bonus: Jack & Jill, General Patton, and Dan's favorite terms for dying. 

CW: This episode contains irreverent talk about death. Please skip if that isn't for you right now. . 

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Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 309: Kick the Bucket
Record Date: February 14, 2026
Air Date: February 25, 2026

Intro

Shauna:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase. 

I’m Shauna Harrison

Dan:
And I’m Dan Pugh

Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.

Opening Hook
Close your eyes and imagine this: Wait, unless you are driving. Then maybe only close one eye? Whatever. You do you.

You are having a conversation with friends, and somebody mentions an old acquaintance or family member who has been nearing the end of their life for a while now. The conversation takes a somber turn when they say, “I heard he finally passed.” It feels like a natural way to speak about death, but it’s still a little uncomfortable. Sometimes, people use more casual or even slightly humorous expressions to lighten the mood, and this is where you might hear someone say, “They kicked the bucket.”

Meaning
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, to kick the bucket means:

Quote
to die
End Quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/bucket_n2?tab=meaning_and_use#12686488 

And just to forewarn everyone, we are going to be irreverent or apathetic about the death of living entities during this episode, so if that kind of talk is not for you right now, perhaps check out our back catalogue of over 300 other episodes, most of which are not about death. 

Shauna, do you have any theories on why kicking a bucket might cause death?

There is a concept of a person hanging themselves by standing on a bucket and then kicking the bucket away. I found an example of that reported in the Oxford Journal September 27, 1788 reporting on the death of John Marshfield, a labouring man. I won’t read it as it is a bit grotesque, but there is evidence of this happening. And I found several newspapers of the early 1900s where someone would claim it is the origin. 
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000073/17880927/009/0003  

But the Oxford English Dictionary does not seem to think this is the origin. Mostly because they do not list “kick the bucket” under the definition of a bucket as we understand it. To understand this phrase, the first thing we need to do is to understand that a bucket, in this case, is not the cylindrical vessel we use to carry water, like a pail or a pot, but instead a different, older meaning of bucket:

Quote
A beam or yoke on which anything may be hung or carried.
End Quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/bucket_n2?tab=meaning_and_use#12686488 

So a bucket can be many things. It can be that beam carried on your shoulders with two pails of water on either side as Jack and Jill came down the hill from the well one of the presumably many times they didn’t fall all the way down. But all anyone hears about is that one time Jack fell and then Jill fell, too. It was probably rainy and slippery. Give these kids a break. 

A bucket is also the beams in a wooden frame used to slaughter animals. You kill a hog, then hoist it onto this wooden frame. I’ve seen some posit that the animal would buck around until it died, thus kicking the bucket. Though I wonder why you would hoist it up while it is alive and still fighting you, rather than killing it first. But I’m not going to argue with it. Maybe there was a good reason for it, like capturing the blood or something. Hashtag NoWaste

This is the most commonly cited reason for the phrase in older dictionaries that were a little closer to its usage than the modern blogs about word origins that seem to spring up today with no citations or sources used of any kind. 

1785
Here is an example from Francis Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1785, first edition. This is from the entry for “kicks”.

Quote
To Kick the Bucket. To die. He kicked the bucket one day, he died one day.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Classical_Dictionary_of_the_Vulgar_Ton/RyVKAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22kick+the+bucket%22&pg=PA98&printsec=frontcover 

Vulgar, in this case, simply means it is something not for high society. And this gives us compelling evidence the phrase was in use by 1785 in the slang vernacular. But in the late 1700s, the phrase was already seeping into newspapers and magazines, too. 

1789
This next one is from a poem called Eulogium on Rum and it was shared by the American Museum in the February 17, 1790 edition of the Gazette of the United States. Eulogium is a middle Latin version of Eulogy, which is an oral statement in honor of the deceased. In this case, a recognition of honor for rum, the alcoholic spirit.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eulogium
The poem itself is cited as being written December 1789. Here is a verse:

Quote
And would our western brethren be less proud or,
In other words, throw by the gun and drum -
For ducks and squirrels save their lead and powder,
And send the tawney rogues some pipes of Rum - 
I dare predict, they all would gladly suck it,
And every mother’s son soon kick the bucket
End Quote
https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-gazette-of-the-united-states-feb-17-1790-p-7/ 

1794
Here’s one from the Freemason’s Magazine for May 1794 out of London, UK that uses the phrase with a definition:

Quote
And really, Mr. Editor, we are the wittiest people on earth. Every thing serious and sacred is made a jest of. To come to an untimely end, is only “to go off at the drop” and to die in one’s bed is “to kick the bucket”
End Quote
https://newspaperarchive.com/london-free-mason-magazine-may-01-1794-p-8/ 
 
That was from a piece called Thoughts on Modern Wit, signed “Yours, Propriety”.

1811
Here’s an example in a poem called Irregular Ode. It was written by John Edward Harwood. It was published in the Kentucky Gazette out of the USA, October 8, 1811. The poem as the explanation - from the author to his mistress, after refusal. I’ll pick up the last few lines of it:

Quote
Now, whether I am fastidious, or in fear,
I want the heart to quit this scene of trouble
Hope gives a hint there is still something near,
And like a child, I wish to grasp the bubble.
She whispers, too, I may have better luck yet;
So, if you please, I will not kick the bucket
End Quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82014783/1811-10-08/ed-1/?sp=4&q=kick+the+bucket&r=-0.028,0.386,0.613,0.234,0 

1871
Englisch-deutsches Supplement-Lexikon is an English to German dictionary by Adalbert Hoppe, published in 1871.

Quote
Kick the Bucket… the allusion is to the way in which a slaughtered pig is hung up - viz.,(that is to say) by passing the ends of a bent piece of wood behind the tendons of the hind legs, and so suspending it to a hook in a beam above. This piece of wood is locally termed a bucket, and so, by a coarse metaphor, the phrase came to signify, to die.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Englisch_deutsches_Supplement_Lexikon/ljANXrpeDzgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22kick+the+bucket%22&pg=PA223&printsec=frontcover 

1900s BTS
The 1900s were full of supposed origin stories for our phrase. In our Behind the Scenes video, available every Friday on our Patreon, we will explore 4 different supposed origin stories in a 30 year span in newspapers from the United States. Catch us on Patreon, that’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

1929
Next, we’ll jump into the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, which happened February 14, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois. It is thought to be part of an ongoing gang war between the victims, the North Side gang, and Al Capone’s gang. This headline came less than a week later via the Seward Daily Getaway out of Alaska, USA on February 20, 1929. It comes from the AP newswire out of Chicago with the headline “Life of Coroner Threatened Due to Investigation”.

Quote
Coroner Herman Bundesen revealed that his life has been threatened twice during the past three days to which he attributed to his activity in investigating the St. Valentine’s Day massacre of seven gangmen.
Bundesen said he also received an anonymous telephone call in which he was told “You will be the next to die if you don’t watch out”.
He said he received an anonymous letter asking him “How he would like to kick the bucket.”
End Quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn87062169/1929-02-20/ed-1/?sp=1&q=kick+the+bucket&r=-0.063,0.207,1.219,0.465,0 

1945
Okay, one more before the break. This one is from December 22, 1945 regarding the death the day before of General George Patton in Heidelberg, Germany. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was a war related death, given the timeline. But alas, as it is mentioned in the Washington Daily News out of Washington, DC, USA. 

Quote
George S. Patton spoke often of death. He said he hoped he could lead his troops thru one great battle to victory - and then he’d add that he supposed he would die under fire at his moment of triumph.
But death mocked him. Death rode with him in the luxury of a peacetime automobile. For such a man it was, as the General himself said, “a hell of a way to kick the bucket.”
A grateful nation counts his triumphs, gives thanks for his integrity and leadership. 
But the irony of it. He lived by the sword and died by the highway.
End Quote
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82016181/1945-12-22/ed-1/?sp=12&q=kick+the+bucket&r=-0.174,0.093,0.983,0.375,0 

I’m not sure I would say Patton was a man of integrity, given the way he treated men with “shell shock”, his frequent violent outbursts, and his verbal abuse of all types of people. But I recognize that he was seen as a leader during World War II, and a war-weary public would be thankful for his service. 

Up next we have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.

A Quick Thank You
Shauna:
This episode is brought to you by our amazing Patrons on Patreon. 
And it is 100% free to join the Bunny Trails community! 
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Dan:
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Shauna:
We’ve also got Original Digital Artwork every month, made by ME,
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No nefarious social media algorithms getting in the way of what we see or don’t see. 
Plus, you can get awesome name recognition like Pat Rowe and JGP do every episode. 
And our top spot is currently occupied by the amazing Mary Halsig Lopez.

You can join the Bunny Trails community for free at bunny trails pod on Patreon. 

That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod 


Modern Uses

1969
Long Shot Kick De Bucket is a 1969 song by The Pioneers. Here is chorus:

Quote
Long Shot, him kick de bucket 
Long Shot kick de bucket
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhAec0h4lds

I found this analysis of the song posted on the website SonicHits. There is no author listed:

Quote
The Pioneers' song "Long Shot Kick De Bucket" is a commentary on the unpredictability of life and the agony that comes with losing in the world of horse racing. The lyrics describe the scene of a horse race at Caymanas Park, where Long Shot is competing. The singer encourages Long Shot to "get up" and compete in the first race, but ultimately, Long Shot tragically "kicks the bucket." The crowd reacts with great distress, wailing and reeling, while the rest of the horses, Starbright, Combat, and Corazon, continue the race.

The lyrics showcase the ups and downs of horse racing, where one moment a horse can be in the rear, but then suddenly take the lead. The loss of Long Shot not only represents a financial loss for the betters but also signifies the loss of hope and the realization that life is fragile and unpredictable. Through this song, The Pioneers are using horse racing as a metaphor for life, illustrating that even when we try our best, we never know what life has in store for us, and sometimes, we fall short.
End Quote
https://sonichits.com/video/The_Pioneers/Long_Shot_Kick_De_Bucket

1988
Kick the Bucket and Swing the Cat: English Words and Phrases and Their Curious Origins is a 1988 book by Alex Games. Here’s the synopsis:

Quote
Kick the Bucket and Swing the Cat takes a humorous tour through the fascinating, sometimes tragic, and often surprising history of the English language and its etymology.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Kick_the_Bucket_and_Swing_the_Cat/y_m_prZ0tBwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22kick+the+bucket%22&pg=PP1&printsec=frontcover 


1999
Kick the Bucket is a song off the 1999 album Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy by the band Mindless Self Indulgence. Here’s a part of the chorus that doesn’t have any words that would be considered curse words in English:

Quote
I’m so desperate
I don’t know the things that are the best
I kick the bucket, y’all
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaFdgKUH7U4

2009
Kick the Bucket is a 2009 song off the album Hobo by Charlie Winston. Here are the opening lyrics:

Quote
If you say this is pop, to be singing to a tune with a rhythm like this, would it be so unpopular for a singer like me to be bringing up the fact that we're all gonna go? Some people swear, they say they know where
For me it's a mystery. But which ever way you see it
You have to admit it and live it and live it!

We all kick the bucket in the end! The end!
End Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBfK3j6Hs00 

2015
Seven Ways to Lighten Your Life Before You Kick the Bucket by Walt Hopkins and George Simons is a 2015 book. Here’s the synopsis:

Quote
A bucket list is a list of things to do before you die. This book is a guide to ways to live before you die. Whether you have a bucket list or not, the stories and insights in this book offer you seven clear ways to lighten—and enlighten—your life before you kick the bucket. George Simons and Walt Hopkins (international consultants in their mid-seventies) have learned a lot about living well while getting older—and they generously and intimately share those learnings with men and women concerned about aging.
End Quote
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Seven_Ways_to_Lighten_Your_Life_Before_Y/MXHLEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22kick+the+bucket%22&pg=PT14&printsec=frontcover 

2018
Kick the Bucket: A Lainie Lovett Mystery is a 2018 book by Judith Arnold. It’s the 4th of 5 books in the series. All of the books are plays on “kicking”. Here’s the synopsis of this one:

Quote
Summertime, and the living should be easy. School's out, and fourth-grade teacher Lainie Lovett is on vacation, spending her mornings running sports clinics for children and her evenings playing with the Rockettes, her recreation-league soccer team. But things get a whole lot less easy when one of Lainie's teammates urges her to visit Sunrise Village, an assisted-living residence for the elderly, where various items have gone missing: a ring, a jewelry box, a bottle of prescription medicine...and George Vandercloop's considerable fortune, which he'd kept stuffed inside his mattress and which disappeared the night he died. Plenty of people at Sunrise Village had access to his apartment--his neighbors, the staff, his relatives, and the newly hired director of maintenance, who may just be the long-lost son of the Rockettes' distinctly un-motherly coach. Who stole George's money? And if he didn't die of natural causes, who killed him?

Lainie doesn't need another mystery to solve, but Sunrise Village needs Lainie. The place teems with romantic intrigue, rivalries, gossip, raptures over the dining room's chocolate cake--and possible crimes. Lainie will do her best to uncover the truth. But will she still be among the living when the assisted-living establishment is done with her?
End Quote
https://books.google.com/books/about/Kick_the_Bucket.html?id=y92FswEACAAJ 

2019
What To Do If I Kick The Bucket - A Guide For My Next Of Kin is a 2019 book written by Y. L. Owens. It’s a fill-in-the-blank guide for someone to use after the death of a loved one. Here’s the lengthy synopsis:

Quote
We all kick the bucket. Some of us kick it so unexpectedly, our social media accounts and online store listings and auctions hang out there in the wind until someone finally figures it out – if they do at all. Our Facebook account is frozen in time because of a long forgotten password not written down since the (sic) early 2009.

Very few people have actual wills or advance directives and even if you do have these important items, it’s unlikely your daily To Do things are conveniently listed somewhere for a loved one to take care of sooner rather than months later. And does your designated agent (i.e. your spouse, your kid, cousin or best friend) know where you keep your will? (Not to mention the key to the side gate.)

This is your chance to put your daily doings all in one place as well as your personal two cents into the planning of that fabulous celebration your loved ones will throw in honor of a life well lived. It’s an emotional time for all and a road map from you makes it that much easier.

If you’ve lost five or ten minutes of sleep wondering who would think to look for your streaming subscriptions and cancel them ASAP or your Amazon Prime account with that upcoming renewal date and automatic debit charge, this book is for you - and them!

Included is a section for some family history, your favorite memories and those stories from cherished relatives that are starting to fade. Once those tidbits in time are gone, trust me, they’re gone.

Write everything down and tuck it away. There are people who will be grateful you did. It’s not on a locked computer with a password no one knows in a file some internet troll might hack.

Once it’s done, take a deep breath and get on with your amazing, incredible life!
End Quote
https://www.amazon.com/What-Do-If-Kick-Bucket/dp/1095584758

Wrap Up
In a previous life, I held a job where death was an all-too common occurrence. In the moment, it’s best to be direct: Your loved one is dead. As we get further removed from the event though, some people find levity to be helpful. Talking about it being 10 years ago today that grandpa died might be the opportunity to be respectful and also a little humorous. That’s where our phrase really thrives. So while I don’t use it very often, I do like having alternate ways to describe death. “Kick the bucket” is good, but I also like “pushing up daisies” (episode 3), “bite the dust” (episode 75), and “give up the ghost” (episode 196). Some phrases we haven’t covered are “bought the farm”, “shuffled their mortal coil”, “taking a dirt nap”, “joined the choir invisible”, and “swims with the fishes”. But my two favorites are “circled the drain” and “bounced out like a bad check”. As that 1794 piece said, “Every thing serious and sacred is made a jest of”.
https://newspaperarchive.com/london-free-mason-magazine-may-01-1794-p-8/ 

Dan:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, 
reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod or comment on our website bunnytrailspod.com

Shauna:
It’s poll time!

Recently we asked our Patrons, What do you call the lace up footwear used for working out?

We’ve heard many names for them, like Sneakers, Tennis Shoes, Running Shoes, Trainers, and Gym Shoes. 

Emily says:
Quote
Where I grew up in Illinois I heard the term “gym shoes” because they were the shoes you’d change into for gym class. I call them sneakers now
End Quote

Mary adds:
Quote
I grew up calling them tennis shoes but now call them gym shoes. Occasionally, I will call them sneakers because it is just a fun word to say. I will never call them running shoes because as I like to remind people often, running is the greatest thing ever unless you compare it to not running. 
End Quote

Dan:
Cheryl notes:
Quote
Runners actually so running shoes was closest
End Quote

Jenna adds:
Quote
I'm in Northern Ireland and we've always said trainers. "Runners" is fairly common in Ireland too
End Quote

I grew up in the Dallas, Texas area and I always heard them called tennis shoes and on rare occasions, sneakers. I was an adult before I heard anyone say the other names, but I've heard them all now. Which I guess makes sense as I had only been to a handful of places growing up and most of them were exactly like the people and places I grew up with. Not much diversity for young Dan! 

Shauna:
JGP says:
Quote
I'd call them sneakers generally speaking; I guess if the context was that someone had a pair they'd bought specifically for running or tennis then I might call them 'tennis shoes' or 'running shoes' or if the pair was just for gym class then they might be 'gym shoes' but I've only seen these kind of shoes referred to as 'trainers' in linguistic surveys or polls like this and would never call them that.
End Quote

I was in a lot of sports in school. Sometimes, there were shoes specific to the sport - cheer shoes, cleats, basketball shoes, spikes, court shoes, tennis shoes, and so on. But for the general term - gym shoes, athletic shoes, runners, trainers… those are all the same in my mind. And then sneakers could refer to athletic shoes but more frequently meant Converse-style shoes.

If you want to take part in our silly polls, head over to the Patreon. We’d love to hear your take on our weekly poll questions! And it’s free at patreon.com/bunnytrailspod 

Outro 

Shauna:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember, 

Together:
Words belong to their users.