The usual reason given for this saying is that a doornail was one of the heavy nails on the outside of a medieval door, that a door knocker would strike when you knocked on the door. It was hit so many times it was dead.
Another explanation is a nail hammered through a piece of wood and then flatten the end over on the inside so it can’t be removed (called clinching). The nail is said to be dead, because you couldn’t use it again. Door nails would have been clinched to give them extra strength before screws were available.
ejcapulet over 14 years ago
I guess this is what you’d call a bad sign.
comYics over 14 years ago
Without saying a word. S-m-o-o-o-t-h.
LittleYipScream over 14 years ago
I always thought it was “dead as a doorknob”. I guess a doornail would be more convenient for the doc to carry around.
lewisbower over 14 years ago
Marley was dead as a doorknob. Now it’s dead as a doornail.
fredbuhl over 14 years ago
A picture is worth a 1000 words.
Trainwreck_1 over 14 years ago
Hmm? Maybe being dead as a doorknob means your organs can still be used by someone else, and dead as a doornail means…
Takiniteasy over 14 years ago
Two “laugh out louds” in one day … don’t get that too often.
poppy1313 over 14 years ago
The usual reason given for this saying is that a doornail was one of the heavy nails on the outside of a medieval door, that a door knocker would strike when you knocked on the door. It was hit so many times it was dead.
Another explanation is a nail hammered through a piece of wood and then flatten the end over on the inside so it can’t be removed (called clinching). The nail is said to be dead, because you couldn’t use it again. Door nails would have been clinched to give them extra strength before screws were available.
Coyoty Premium Member over 14 years ago
What? It was stuck in his foot!
By the way, he died of blood poisoning because he didn’t have it checked for days. Sorry.