Welcome back to another amusing instalment of our ‘Laugh and Learn’ series! Today, we’re going to tickle your funny bone while exploring a popular, albeit quirky, English idiom: “Kick the bucket.” Let’s unravel the humour and meaning behind this idiom!
Idioms are phrases where the overall meaning isn’t necessarily tied to the literal definitions of the individual words. They add a dash of flavour to English conversation. One such idiom, “kick the bucket,” actually refers to the act of dying.
Here’s a tongue-in-cheek example to illustrate:
Why was the belt arrested?
Because it held up a pair of pants and kicked the bucket!
Let’s break down the joke:
The pun here plays with the multiple meanings of “held up” and “kick the bucket.” The phrase “held up” could mean supporting (as a belt does to pants) or it could mean to rob, as in a hold-up. The term “kick the bucket” is used here literally, as if the belt physically kicked a bucket, while its idiomatic meaning refers to dying. The absurdity of a belt kicking a bucket and getting arrested for it creates the humour.
New Vocabulary from the Post:
Idioms (/ˈɪdiəm/): A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.
Example: "He's been burning the midnight oil trying to finish this project before the deadline." This idiom means that someone is staying up late working on something.
Kick the Bucket (/kɪk ðə ˈbʌkɪt/): An informal way of saying someone has died.
Example: I'm afraid old Mr. Henderson finally kicked the bucket. He had a long life, though.
Idioms like “kick the bucket” can make learning English seem daunting, but they also add to the language’s richness and humour. By understanding and using them, you can sound more fluent and have a few laughs along the way. Join us for the next ‘Laugh and Learn’ post as we continue diving into English humour!
Notably less funny, but try the quiz below!
#1. Why was the belt arrested in the joke?
#2. Why are idioms important in English?
#3. In the joke, what does ‘held up’ refer to?
#4. What does the idiom ‘Kick the bucket’ mean?
#5. What is an idiom?
Results
