as dead as a doornail



as dead as a doornail

Really dead. Doornails, which provided strength and decoration, were hammered into the wood and then clenched for additional grip. Because a doornail was bent, it could not be used again, which made it even deader. A more recent phrase is “as dead as last year's tennis balls.” In the era before year-round indoor tennis, they would have lost their bounce before the start of the next season.
See also: dead, doornail

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Theodosius-Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Konstanze-German
Orit-Hebrew
Yisra'el-Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Seth (1)SETH (English)English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Amelia[ə'mi:ljə]