stone dead

stone dead

English

Alternative forms

• stone-dead

Etymology

From Middle English stone-dede, stan-ded, standed, equivalent to stone +‎ dead. Compare English stone-cold, stonehard, etc.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Adjective

stone dead

1. (idiomatic) Utterly dead.
   • 1969, Monty Python, "Monty Python’s Flying Circus" (Dead Parrot sketch)

     [Owner]: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!

     [Mr. Praline]: The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.

Translations

unquestionably dead

Danish: stendød Dutch: morsdood (nl) German: mausetot (de) Icelandic: steindauður m

Irish: chomh marbh le hart Russian: мертвее мёртвого (mertveje mjórtvovo) Swedish: stendöd (sv)