dirt nap

English

Etymology

First attested in 1981;^[1] dirt (alluding to a dead person’s burial in the earth) + nap (euphemistic in a manner somewhat like with put to sleep but jocular via dark humor).

Pronunciation

Audio (General Australian): (file)

Noun

dirt nap (plural dirt naps)

(slang, indelicate) A state of permanent rest; the state of death.
Synonyms: quietus, the big sleep; see also Thesaurus:death
- 1989, Laurence Gonzales, The Still Point, “Anatomy of a Drug Bust”, ‘Two: Fort Harrison’, page 119
  “You go in there without enough men, you’re liable to end up takin’ a dirt nap.”
- 1994, Christopher Wallace, “Gimmie the Loot”, in Ready to Die: Christopher Wallace‎^[1]:
  When I bust my gat, motherfuckers take dirt naps
- 2008, Seth Hoffman, Matt Olmstead, “Dirt Nap”, in Prison Break‎^[2]:
  The 54th episode — which deals with a protagonist causing someone's death — is named: Dirt Nap
- 2008 May 30, “Indiana Jones rides again in 'Crystal Skull'”, in Kennebeck Journal:
  Besides, no one wants to see Indiana take the big dirt nap like a commoner.
- 2008 June 4, Gary Dzen, “Blog Wars: Part 3”, in Celtics Blog: The Boston Globe:
  ...Sasha could be a big part of either burying Boston when their starters rest or simply allowing Kobe a rest without his own squad getting a dirt nap.
- 2008 June 6, Steve Campbell, “Astros' promising start withers on road”, in The Houston Chronicle‎^[3]:
  He may as well have dug a 6-foot hole and settled in for a dirt nap.
- 2008 June 10, Matt Mitovich, “Dirt Nap: Courteney Cox's Series Is Canceled”, in The CW, KREN, Reno:
  Dirt Nap: Courteney Cox's Series Is Canceled
- 2008 June 18, Steve Elling, “Haney says Woods will be back 'better than ever'”, in CBS Sports:
  Nobody from the Golf Channel, Nike or PGA Tour need bother taking the fast trip to a long dirt nap just yet.

Derived terms

take a dirt nap

Translations

(irreverent term for) eternal rest, death

Russian: ве́чный сон m (véčnyj son), сме́рть (ru) f (smértʹ)

References

^ “dirt nap” listed on page 203 of The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English [2007; rev. ed. of The Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, 8th ed., 1984]
dirt nap noun death US, 1981

[Partridge-1] “dirt nap” listed on page 203 of The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English [2007; rev. ed. of The Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, 8th ed., 1984]
dirt nap noun death US, 1981

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