# dead men's shoes

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dead-mens-shoes
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A position or property that is only attainable by someone else upon the current holder's death.

## Examples

- He is waiting for dead men's shoes to get that promotion.
- The young assistant spent years working in the office, hoping to step into dead men's shoes when his boss retired.
- The ambitious heir grew tired of waiting for dead men's shoes and began plotting to accelerate his father's departure from the company.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.