Sayings/Death

Sayings based on Death. Select a saying for more details. Also try Death Sayings Quiz.

As soon as man is born he begins to die

The process of dying starts at birth. This saying reminds us of our own mortality, whatever our age.

Dead men tell no tales

People who are no longer living cannot give evidence.

Death is a remedy for all ills

When we die, all our problems are solved.

Death keeps no calendar

In this saying, "Death" is personified as a spiritual being who may call upon us at any time - he has no appointment book. We never know when we will die.

Death pays all debts

Dying cancels everything, including anything that we owe to other people.

Graves are of all sizes

People die at all ages; no one is too young to die.

Let the dead bury the dead

This is generally taken to imply that we should spend our time and energy on living people, not on dead people. (But see Origin below.)

Look upon death as a going home

We may consider dying to be a kind of returning to house and family.

Nothing is certain but death and taxes

This saying may be seen in three ways: 1) We cannot be 100% sure about anything (except dying and having to pay the taxman - in this case the latter idea being added for humour). 2) We cannot escape taxation (in this case the idea of death serving only to highlight the certainty of taxes). 3) We can be absolutely sure that we will die (in this case the idea of taxes being added for humour). The first interpretation seems to have been the original intent (see Origin below).

Nothing so certain as death

We can be 100% sure that we will die.
These are traditional English sayings and proverbs about Death and dying.

Also try Death Sayings Quiz.

Contributor: Josef Essberger