die in boots

die in one's boots and die with one's boots on

Fig. to go down fighting; to die in some fashion other than in bed; to die fighting. (Popularized by western movies. Heroes and villains of these movies said they preferred death in a gunfight to showing cowardice or giving up.) I won't let him get me. I'll die in my boots. a gunfight to showing cowardice or giving up.) I won't let him get me. I'll die in my boots.

See also: boot, die