yield the ghost
To give up the ghost.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My old laptop finally yielded the ghost yesterday.”
“The ancient washing machine made a loud clanking noise before it finally yielded the ghost mid-cycle.”
“After years of faithful service, the engine sputtered one final time and yielded the ghost, leaving the travelers stranded in the middle of the desert.”
- 01
ghost at the feast
A presence that mars one's enjoyment by causing guilt or reviving unwelcome memories.
- 02
ghost from one's past
Something unpleasant from one's past that "haunts" them (makes them feel uneasy) to the present day.
- 03
ghost home
A residence intentionally kept vacant by an absentee owner, especially a foreign investor, as a financially safe asset to be liquidated at a convenient time.
- 04
give up the ghost
To cease clinging to life; to die.
- 05
yield up the ghost
For a person, to die.
Last updated August 10, 2026