dead beat
Preserved but no longer current.
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 “dead beat” mean?
So completely beaten or worsted as to have no leg to stand on. Like a dead man with no fight left in him; quite tired out.
Is “dead beat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.