English · Idiom Attested

dead as Hector

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Unquestionably dead.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

[…] if a man, on coming up to his old friend’s cottage, finds the owner staring him in the face over a stile, all the while as dead as Hector,—still the answer is,—“Why, to be sure, all this is rather absurd; but then, Sir, consider the power.”

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Topics: Life & death Dated

Common questions

What does “dead as Hector” mean?

Unquestionably dead.

Is “dead as Hector” formal or informal?

dead as Hector is generally dated.

👁 Views 0 today 0 past 7 days 0 this month 0 all time