a great gulf fixed
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An impassable separation. The allusion is to the parable of Dives and Lazarus (Luke xvi, 26).
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 great gulf fixed” mean?
An impassable separation. The allusion is to the parable of Dives and Lazarus (Luke xvi, 26).
Is “a great gulf fixed” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.