shuffle (redirected from be lost in the shuffle)

shuffle off this mortal coil

Euph. to die. (Often jocular or formal euphemism. Not often used in consoling someone.) Cousin Fred shuffled off this mortal coil after suffering a heart attack. When I shuffle off this mortal coil, I want to go out in style—bells, flowers, and a long, boring funeral.

See also: coil, this

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lost in the shuffle  (American & Australian)

if something or someone gets lost in the shuffle, they do not get the attention that they deserve Refugee children in the big camps just get lost in the shuffle and are sometimes left without food.

See also: lost

shuffle off this mortal coil  (humorous)

to die

Usage notes: This phrase comes from the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

I really want to see the Coliseum before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

See lost in the shuffle

See also: coil, this

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lost in the shuffle

ignored or forgotten In conflicts between doctors and insurance companies, patients' needs may be lost in the shuffle.

Usage notes: often used in the form get lost in the shuffle: Maybe your name got lost in the shuffle when we typed the list.

Etymology: based on the idea of losing a playing card when the cards are shuffled (moved around)

See also: lost