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Updated on
15 Oct 2016
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Question about English (US)
"It is the nail in the coffin for the theory that languages are essentially arbitrary," Perlman said.
What does this expression "nail in the coffin" means? and is it commonly used?
"It is the nail in the coffin for the theory that languages are essentially arbitrary," Perlman said.
What does this expression "nail in the coffin" means? and is it commonly used?
What does this expression "nail in the coffin" means? and is it commonly used?
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15 Oct 2016
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- English (US)
It's an idiom for the sense of a thing or event putting an end to something or finally finishing something. In this case, it means the theory is no longer credible.
It is in fairly common use.
Example:. "Some believe that recent reports of Trump's harassment of women are the last nail in the coffin for his presidential hopes."
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- English (US)
"The final thing that says that it's dead." The theory that languages are essentially arbitrary was almost dead before that, but after that, it's been sealed away for good.
It's pretty commonly used.
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- English (US)
It's an idiom for the sense of a thing or event putting an end to something or finally finishing something. In this case, it means the theory is no longer credible.
It is in fairly common use.
Example:. "Some believe that recent reports of Trump's harassment of women are the last nail in the coffin for his presidential hopes."
Was this answer helpful?
- English (US)
- Vietnamese Near fluent
"Nail in the coffin" is something that brings/ quickens an unavoidable negative outcome like death or defeat
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