a dead hand
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
It was believed that a candle placed in a dead man's hand gives no light to any but those who use it. See HAND.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a dead hand” mean?
It was believed that a candle placed in a dead man's hand gives no light to any but those who use it. See HAND.
Is “a dead hand” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.