# six feet under

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/six-feet-under
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Buried underground; not alive; dead.

## Examples

- The old pirate is six feet under now.
- He joked that he would keep working until he was six feet under.
- The secrets of the ancient king remained buried with him, six feet under the dusty earth of the tomb.

## Origin

Six feet refers to the traditional depth to which graves are dug.

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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.