Noah Sinclair
The phrase 'to drive nails into someone's grave' is an idiom that means to cause someone a lot of pain. The phrase is similar to the expression 'to drive a nail in one's coffin', which was used by the Anti-Cigarette League in the early 20th century to refer to the negative health effects of smoking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meaning | To do something that leads to or brings about one's, someone's or something's ruin, downfall, or failure |
| Synonyms | Drive a nail in one's coffin |
| Colloquial name for a cigarette | Coffin nail |
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What You'll Learn
The colloquial name for a cigarette is 'coffin nail'
The colloquial name for a cigarette is a 'coffin nail'. This term arose in the early 20th century when the Anti-Cigarette League announced that every cigarette smoked was a nail in one's coffin. The phrase 'to drive a nail in one's coffin' is an idiom that means to do something that leads to or brings about one's ruin, downfall, or failure. It first appeared in print in 1789 in Peter Pindar's (John Wolcot's) 'Ode no. 15': 'Care to our coffin adds a nail'. The idiom was also used by O. Henry in 'The Higher Abdication' (1907).
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The Anti-Cigarette League used the phrase to discourage smoking
The phrase 'to drive nails into someone's grave' is an expression that means to cause a lot of pain to someone. The Anti-Cigarette League used the phrase to discourage smoking, announcing that every cigarette smoked was a nail in one's coffin. This gave rise to the colloquial name 'coffin nail' for a cigarette. The phrase was also used by O. Henry in his 1907 book, *The Higher Abdication*.
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The phrase is an idiom
In the early 20th century, the Anti-Cigarette League used the phrase to describe the act of smoking, saying that every cigarette smoked was a nail in one's coffin. This gave rise to the colloquial name 'coffin nail' for a cigarette.
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The idiom means to cause someone pain
The idiom 'to drive nails into someone's grave' means to cause someone pain, or more specifically, to bring about their ruin, downfall or failure. The phrase is often used to describe self-destructive acts, such as smoking cigarettes, which are referred to colloquially as 'coffin nails'. The term first appeared in print in 1789, in Peter Pindar's (John Wolcot's) Ode no. 15: 'Care to our coffin adds a nail'.
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The idiom is similar to the expression 'care to our coffin adds a nail'
The idiom 'to drive nails into someone's grave' is similar to the expression 'care to our coffin adds a nail'. Both expressions refer to causing someone pain or, more specifically, contributing to their death. The idea of driving nails into someone's coffin or grave is a metaphor for doing something that will cause them harm. The expressions are often used to describe unhealthy behaviours, such as smoking, which was referred to as 'coffin nails' in the early twentieth century by the Anti-Cigarette League.
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Frequently asked questions
It means to cause someone a lot of pain.
It is not a common expression, but a similar phrase is 'to drive a nail in one's coffin', which means the same thing.
The phrase was first recorded in 1789 and was later used by the Anti-Cigarette League in the early 20th century to refer to the negative health effects of smoking.
Yes, 'coffin nail' is a colloquial term for a cigarette.
