dead on feet

dead on (one's) feet

1. Near to the point of collapse or losing consciousness (as due to exhaustion or injury) while still remaining on one's feet; just short of being asleep or unconscious. Doctors in training are expected to endure an unbelievable amount of stress and exhaustion. Surely it is counterproductive forcing them to attend to each of their patients while they're dead on their feet. You're parents of a newborn—of course you're dead on your feet! After a long day of traveling, we were all dead on our feet by the time we finally got to the hotel.

2. Still functioning, but past the point of usefulness or productivity; all but or as good as defeated. The company has managed to remain open, but, truth be told, it's really been dead on its feet for the last year. Our research has been dead on its feet for a while, so I doubt we'll get funded for another year. A: "Do you think filming will continue now that the lead actor has pulled out?" B: "Not a chance. It's dead on its feet."

See also: dead, feet, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

dead on one's feet

 and dead on its feet

Fig. exhausted; worn out; no longer useful. Ann is so tired. She's really dead on her feet. He can't teach well anymore. He's dead on his feet. This inefficient company is dead on its feet.

See also: dead, feet, on

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.