English Reference
Idiom idiom

go over to the majority


To die.

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


SIMPLE

The old king finally went over to the majority.

CONTEXTUAL

After a long and difficult illness, the grandfather went over to the majority in his sleep.

COMPLEX

The historian noted that many of the revolutionary leaders had already gone over to the majority by the time the war ended.


The idiom alludes to the numerical superiority of the deceased over the living. It is a euphemism for death based on the demographic observation that the majority of human beings who have ever existed are no longer present to discuss the matter. The living are, by comparison, a distinct and somewhat outnumbered minority.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all dressed up and nowhere to go

    Elaborately attired or otherwise fully prepared for an anticipated situation or activity which, nevertheless, fails to occur.

  2. 02

    all systems go

    Everything is ready.

  3. 03

    as you go

    While one is doing (something); as one progresses.

  4. 04

    boldly go where no man has gone before

    To break new ground.

  5. 05

    come and go

    To repeatedly appear and disappear; to be transient.

  6. 06

    don't go there

    Do not broach that topic.

  7. 07

    easy come, easy go

    Easily won and easily lost (usually said when resigned to a loss; something that comes in the same way, goes in the same way)

  8. 08

    enough to go around

    There is an adequate amount or supply of something for all of the people present or involved.

Last updated August 10, 2026