candidate for a pair of wings

*candidate for a pair of wings

Euph. someone who is likely to die; someone who is close to death. (Jocular. *Typically: be ~; look like ~.) Whenever Jane wants to cross the street, she just walks out into traffic without looking. She's a candidate for a pair of wings, I say. Tom: How's Bill doing? I heard he was sick. Jane: Not good, I'm afraid. He looks like a candidate for a pair of wings.

See also: candidate, of, pair, wing