English Reference
Idiom idiom

fog a mirror


To be alive.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He will hire anyone who can fog a mirror.

CONTEXTUAL

The company is so desperate for workers that they will hire anyone who can fog a mirror.

COMPLEX

In this competitive market, the recruiter joked that the only requirement for the entry-level position was the ability to fog a mirror.


Derived from the diagnostic practice of placing a mirror before the nose and mouth of a patient or sleeping individual. The presence of condensation on the glass served as evidence of respiration, confirming the subject had not yet deceased.


Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    do with mirrors

    To perform a magic or optical trick with the use of hidden mirrors, implying trickery and sham.

  2. 02

    fogged out

    In a confused and unaware mental state.

Last updated August 10, 2026